Grade Six Science

Hello boys and girls,

Have you been practising for sports? Are you working very well, paying attention to your teacher? Keep on revising and doing well. It is important that you do. Remember your goal! May this new week be a very fruitful one for you.

Last week we discovered that the feathers have many different functions. Can you name at least five of them? Name them and explain a bit about them to someone in your household or someone nearby. This week we will look at the beaks and feet of birds. Have you ever looked carefully at the beaks and feet of birds that you know? How are they similar? How are they different? What do they tell you about the bird? Look at the beaks and feet of the birds in the pictures further below.

The beaks of birds can be short and thick; long, thin and slightly curved; sharp, curved and pointed; spear-shaped; strong and chisel-like. Can you name birds with beaks of that description? The beaks of birds often tell us about the type of food they eat or how they eat their food.

A bird’s beak or bill serves the primary function of gathering and eating food. A bird’s beak is designed to help it eat the foods it needs, including tearing, crushing, picking, probing and breaking the shells of food items. Birds also use their beaks to preen or clean and oil their feathers. Preening keeps their feathers healthy and in the right position. Birds use their beaks like humans use their hands when they are building their nests and feeding their young. By looking at a bird’s beak we get clues about the bird’s lifestyle, where it lives and what it eats. Look at the chart below to find out more about types of birds’ beaks and what they eat.

Birds’ Feet

Birds’ feet come in different sizes and shapes. A bird’s foot is designed to help it navigate in its environment and find the food that it needs.

Examine the feet of the birds in the picture below. What do you find?

Check to find out if the facts below are right about the use of the different types of feet of birds:

● three toes in front, one behind ● two toes in front, two behind ● powerful, curved talons ● webbed feet

● long and thin

● thick and stout

perching climbing grasping prey swimming wading walking

Let’s look at the beaks and feet of the birds below. Make some comparisons.

Beaks and Feet of Different Birds

1. Describe the feet of birds which hunt prey. Give an example of that kind of bird.

2. What kind of feet would a duck have? Why?

3. Another bird with that type of feet is a ……………… .

4. Wading birds tend to have …………… feet.

Match:

bird of prey long flat bill seed eater duck sparrow eagle

5. What features of a hummingbird make it suitable for how it feeds?

6. Owls and hawks hunt similar things such as rodents and snakes. How do they avoid competing with each other for food?

Here is a table for you to revise much of what you have learned about birds, their beaks and their feet.

Find these words in the word search below and make up a sentence with facts about each:

bird, nest, beak, feet, toes, prey, webbed, fly, talon

Have fun!

Until next week, DV, have fun learning. Goodbye, boys and girls!

We have been looking at birds. Have you been enjoying finding out about their beaks and feet, and how they are well linked to how they eat and their way of life? Have you been observing real birds in your neighbourhood? Answer the questions below and let’s see how well you are learning.