Beaks & Bills - Part 2

As I said in yesterday's post, some bird beaks are shaped to tear, such as this one (below).  This bald eagle was injured and is now a resident at a local zoo.  That is the only reason I was able to get such a clear shot of its beak with my camera.  You can see the sharp, pointed hook on the curved tip of the upper beak - the perfect tool to help birds of prey open their meals.  You also get a sense of how powerful this bird's beak really is when you look at it up close like this.

On the other hand, some birds have long, spear-like beaks, such as this great blue heron (below).  Heron's need such long, sharp bills for their water fishing.  They can actually spear their prey (usually fish) with their powerful, tapered beaks.

Their beak fits their carnivorous dietary requirements and their watery habitats.  That is why a much smaller, cone-shaped bill, such of that of the seed-eating grosbeak, wouldn't work on the heron.  Seeds are not generally what they are after. although they do consume them at times.