A bird’s bill will tell you a lot about the particular bird, giving you some important clues about the bird.  The shape and size of a bird’s bill will help you know what types of food that bird eats and where it likely lives.

Have you ever noticed that different kinds of birds have different shaped bills?  Look closely and you will see that birds’ bills are not all the same!  Some birds like the chickadee have a small thick bill, but others are very different.  For example, a hummingbird’s bill is long and thin and an eagle’s is sharp and pointed.  This is another tool that will help you gain a better understanding and appreciation of the natural world around you.

Birds Live Everywhere In The World And Rocky Mountains

Birds are one of the most prolific and common animals that can be found throughout the world.  Just about anytime you look outside or go for a walk you are likely to see some birds.  There are birds that live near the ocean, in the forest, desert, or mountains.

All of those birds have adapted to those different environment in ways that allow them to live there.

Some birds that live near the ocean or water have long legs and bills to stab and catch fish in the water.

Some of the birds that live in the forest have short, stout bills to crack open nuts.

A Bird’s Bill Is Shaped To Help It Catch And Eat Food

Birds have different bill shapes and sizes, just like different mammals have different shapes and sizes of their teeth.  This is because birds, just like mammals do not all eat the same kinds of things nor do they all live in the same place.  Some birds eat fish and frogs and live by water, while others eat  eat berries, nuts, or insects and live in forests.

I know that mammals teeth and mouth are different based on what kinds of food they eat.  For example, predators such as cougars have sharp teeth for tearing and ripping meat, but deer or moose have teeth that are made for chewing.

Birds are exactly the same – their bills are shaped for whatever kind of food they eat.  You can look at any of the common birds of the Rocky Mountains and know a little bit about the bird based solely on the shape of the bird’s bill.

What To Look For In A Bird’s Bill

First, look at the overall shape of the bill.  Is it long and pointed or is it short?  It is wide or thin?

Then, look at the tip of the bill.  Is the tip sharp (to be used for ripping meat or fish)?  Or is the tip more rounded and thick (to be used for cracking open seeds)?

Examples of A Bird’s Bill

Look at the photo and think to yourself what this bird may eat and where it may live based on the kind of food it eats.  Read the text below the photo after you make your guess.

Hummingbird – A hummingbirds’ bill is long.  It is also thin, which makes it perfect for sipping or drinking nectar from flowers.  Since it drinks from flowers, it probably lives near areas where there are lots of flowers, such as meadows.

Woodpecker – Notice his sharp, strong bill that is perfect for hammering on wood to look for insects in the tree.  Since woodpeckers look for food in trees they need to live near trees so they can be found in forests or woodlands.

Black Capped Chickadee – Notice that this bird has a small, short bill, which allows it to eat insects, seeds, and berries.  It is poky enough that it can stab at small insects, yet also strong enough for it to break small seeds.  These different kinds of food are all available in forests, which is where they live.

Red Tailed Hawk – Look at that bill.  It is pointed and sharp on the end, which makes it perfect for ripping and tearing into food.  This makes it a carnivore.  Red tailed hawks need to live somewhere high up where they can see over a lot of terrain.  This is actually one of the most common birds in the USA and can be found in many different types of habitat, but they prefer open areas such as fields and deserts.

Snowy Egret – Wow!  Look at that long, pointed bill that is like a spear.  It is perfect for stabbing at fish or other small animals in the water.  Since Snowy egrets eat fish and frogs they live near water, such as wetlands.