Comparative Morphological Studies on Beak and Feet in Some Birds

Abstract

The beak and feet of studied birds showed differences in morphology which is adopted to its environment and feeding habits. Beaks of sparrow, scaly breasted munia and red tailed bulbul had short pointed beak and they had anisodactyl feet adopted mainly for perching. Whereas, in jungle fowl and pea hen premaxilla slightly overhanged the mandible and they also had anisodactyl feet but adopted to walking rather than to fly. Indian runner duck had sifting type, for picking up the food from mud, eagle had hooked type to tear flesh and they had palmate webbing suitable for swimming and talons to carry and to kill the prey respectively. Hornbill had massive and large beak and it had casque on it whereas, red naped ibis had long probing beak, both had anisodactyl feet but former is adapted to perching later to walk in marshy lands. Emu had wide based pointed beak suitable for eating leaves, grass shoots, larvae and beetles, whereas cuckoo had pointed beaks adopted to eat small insects, berries, larvae etc. The emu had tridactyl feet and cuckoo had zygodactyl feet.