Bird Talk Aileen Fisher Robin Jay beetles feather

Bird Talk -Aileen Fisher

Robin

Jay

beetles

feather

wires

‘Think…’ said the robin, ‘Think…’ said the jay, sitting in the garden, talking one day.

Think about peoplethe way they grow; they don’t have feathers at all, you know.

They don’t eat beetles, they don’t grow wings, they don’t like sitting on wires and things. ’

‘Think!’ said the robin. ‘Think!’ said the jay. ‘Aren’t people funny to be that way? ’

Insectivorous � Small, wide and delicate for scooping or catching insects while on flight �Eg. Swift, Swallow

BEAKS OF BIRDS

Wood chiseling � Elongate, straight and chisel-like for drilling barks for food and nest construction. � Eg. Woodpecker

Tearing and piercing � Short, pointed, sharp edged, powerful and hooked to tear the flesh of prey. � Eg. Eagle, Kite Eagle Kite

Mud probing � Long, slender for probing into water for larvae and worms � Jacana Eg. Jacana, Sand piper

Water and mud straining � Broad, flat, jaws with horny serrations and transverse lamellae that enable good catch of feed � Eg. Goose.

Fish catching � Long, powerful, pointed and spearlike for capturing fish, frogs and other food items � Eg. Kingfisher, Heron. Kingfisher Heron

Spatulate � Flattened, spatulate, spoonlike for searching worms, insects and small animals � Eg. Spoonbill.

Pouched � Large gular pouches below lower jaw serves as fishing net � Eg. Pelican.

Flower probing � Long, pointed, probing beak that help in sucking honey and insects � Eg. Humming bird

Seed eating � Short, stout, conical, helping in piercing and cutting seeds and fruit stones. These are granivorous in nature feeing on grains � Eg. Sparrow.

Cutting � Long, slender with cutting edge and has multipurpose use. � Eg. Crow

Fruit eating � Sharp, massive, deeply hooked and strong for gnawing or breaking open of hard seeds � Eg. Parrot

Evaluation � Name the birds mention in the poem

What are three things that people can not do ?

What do birds think of people ?