Question

The short and stout beak of a bird is an adaptation to
A. Drink nectar from flowers
B. Catch fish
C. Pick up small insects
D. Tear flesh from animals
E. Crack seeds

Answer 1

Hint: Adaptation in biology may be defined as an evolutionary process in which organisms change themselves according to the demand of surrounding environmental conditions to live in that habitat in a much better way than earlier to ensure its prolonged survival.

Complete answer:
In order to survive in nearby environment habitat, the birds have modified themselves in a large number of ways to deal with harsh living conditions. One such adaptation is the short and stout beak in birds. This type of beak helps the birds to crack hard seeds and nuts. For example Sparrow, grosbeaks, finches etc. contains short and stout beaks that are cone- shaped. These are adapted in such a way that they can crack the seeds easily. Their lower mandible fit into the upper mandible producing a large force sufficient to crack nuts and seeds.

- Straw or needle like beak is adapted to suck nectar from the flowers. It is found in Humming birds that feed upon the nectar.
- Some birds have big beaks with the ability to get bigger and they have a pouch -like structure to catch fish like American Pelican birds.
- Some birds have short, slender and tweezers like beaks that help them to catch insects from air or from leaves as in nighthawks.
- Flesh eating birds have sharp, hooked beaks for tearing the flesh of animals such as vultures, eagles, kites etc.

Hence, the correct answer is option (E), as the short and stout break helps in the cracking of nuts and seeds.

Note: Adaptation in any species produces some kind of changes in an organism, so that it could live and survive under adverse environmental conditions. It is also called survival of the fittest.