New e - book on Thematic Philately ( Beaks on Stamps ) -
The Beak
By Capt. Vijay Wadhawa
Have you ever wondered why birds' beaks look so different? Birds have developed beaks that best suit the environment in which they live. To survive, birds had to be able to eat the available food and drink the water, regardless of where it was found. Their beaks gradually changed over time so that today, they're shaped so that they best help the birds find food. What else are beaks used for?
First of all, is it a beak or a bill? Some say there’s no difference, others say that a beak is short and is for poking and stabbing, whilst a bill is slender for probing and sweeping. We found that there is no universal agreement, so in this post we’ll just use both. Also, the word beak wouldn’t work in one of our favorite dad jokes! What did the duck say to the cashier when it was buying lip balm? Put it on my bill! All birds have a beak. Or is it a bill? Ornithologists (pronounced 'OR-nuh-THOL-oh-jysts') are scientists who study birds. They prefer to call them bills, but most other people call birds' mouthpieces beaks.
In addition to helping birds get food, beaks are used as tools to help birds build their nests. Birds use their beaks almost like we use our hands. They may use their beaks to kill prey or for protection against predators who are trying to eat them. Beaks are also used to care for baby birds.
Because they're so important and used for so many different tasks, bird beaks must be very strong. They're made of keratin, which is the same stuff that your fingernails are made of! The keratin grows on layers over the beak bone, making the beaks both strong and shiny. Just as your fingernails grow, keratin grows, too. As birds wear out the keratin on their beaks, more layers will grow, so their beaks will stay strong throughout their lives. So, beaks are used for many different purposes, but most importantly, for getting food. Let's see how some birds' beaks are shaped to help them do this.
This Book is available on : Amazon
Capt Vijay Wadhwa may be contacted at e-mail : vicks552000@hotmail.com Whatsapp : 8951166141Lions International Stamp Club LISC October 2022 quarterly newsletter
.jpg)
.png)
