My photos for this challenge are all cropped because really, my little bird friends just would not let me get that close. Yes I did use my zoom lens, but hey lets get close and personal with these beauties.
Let's first look at the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, she is an iridescent beauty, how do I know this is the female? I'm glad you have asked, we can tell because the red throat patch is missing.
A Hummingbird does not really use their beaks, they actually keep it closed while using their tongue to stick it into the nectar.
Meet the next contender the Red-bellied Woodpecker, I must admit to you he is one of my very favorite bird friends. This fellow is a male, his red crown is the give away, the female has a gray crown.
Now the woodpecker is the master of using his beak, not only does he pound away at the tree bark to find insects, but they also hollow out their nests in trees. An interesting fact about the Red-bellied woodpecker is that they can stick their tongue about 2 inches farther than their beak.
And my last contender is the Northern Cardinal, he has personality and brightens any yard. Both the male and female mate for life, during the Spring the males become very territorial. Their beak is used to break seeds open, when nesting the male will feed the female as she sits on the nest.
This is my entry for the beak/bill contest, it has been fun to pick out my favorites to post.
Photos were taken with my Cannon EOS Rebel T2i, the content is mixed with mine and from my favorite book Birds of Missouri Field Guide by Stan Tekiela
