Spear Beak. Herons have long, spearlike beaks that can be used to catch fish.

Chisel Beak. Woodpeckers have beaks shaped much like chisels. They use them to cut holes in trees for their nests, and to dig out wood-boring insects for food.

Spoon Beak. The roseate spoonbill uses its spoonlike beak to gather shellfish and water insects from shallow lakes and rivers.

Cracker Beak. Finches, sparrows, and grosbeaks have strong bills used for cracking the hard shells of seeds which they eat.

Prober Beak. Brown creepers that feed on tiny insects have long, slender bills like probing instruments or tweezers. They pluck the insects from cracks in the bark of trees.

Strainer Beak. Flamingos have fine combs along the edges of their bills. The combs strain mud from the plants and shellfish that flamingos pull from the water to eat.

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This page was last updated on August 21, 2018.