Students will investigate beak adaptations that birds utilize while feeding. Students work in lab groups of five. Tools include scissors, toothpicks, straws, spoons, and clothespins.
Students use their beak tool to harvest as much food as possible from each station.
After time is called by the teacher they count the amount of food eaten and record the information on a chart that they design. Following the lively activity students analyze results and compare amounts of food harvested from each beak type. Students learn that certain types of beaks are better adapted to harvest certain types of food than others. This helps them understand the importance of diversity in decreasing competition among birds of different species.