Ornithology flight types and beak types

Flamingos

series of projections, or lamellae, to filter tiny food items from debris in the water

Swifts

wide gape to help capture flying insects.

Eagles

hook-like bills to tear apart large prey

Shovelers

spatula bills to filter food from mud and water

Crossbills

extract seeds from pine cones

Herons

spear fish and amphibians

Avocets

sweep bills side to side to capture small inverts

Woodpeckers

chisel-like bills to chop away wood & expose insects and insect larvae.

Wrens

thin, probing bill to capture small insects.

Curlews

probe mudflats

Hawfinches

crack open hard seeds

Macaws

use strong hooked bill to crack nuts

Mallards

bills to filter small invertebrates from mud and water

Skimmed

elongated lower mandible to skim surface of water

Marine Gliders

very high aspect-ratio wings; average or low wing loading

Divers/swimmers

medium to high aspect ratios; high wing loading, These birds fly rapidly, but with limited maneuverability

Aerial hunters

high aspect-ratio wings; low wing loading; rapid flight and excellent maneuverability (swallows, nightjars, terns)

Soarers/coursers

low aspect ratios; low wing loading soar or fly just above the vegetation in open habitats in search of prey (hawks, condors, storks, cranes)

Short-burst fliers

low aspect ratios; high wing loading fly infrequently and only for short distances (turkeys, tinamous, grouse)

Hoverers

flying in one position without wind high aspect ratios; high wing loading