In a message dated 2/12/2007 9:46:06 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
marianmurdoch at yahoo.com writes:

When do you use beaks and when do you use bills? Bills
would be on ducks, but what about on pelicans? How do
you know when to use beak and when to use bill?


I write a column about birds for a local paper and the name of my column
is..."Beaks and Bills." Last month's column had to do with the topography of
birds and when I got to the part about beaks and bills, I pointed out that they
are basically the same. My own general rule of thumb is to consider the bird
and make your own decision using this rather loose criteria.

I tend to think of smaller birds as having beaks, as in grosbeaks. I see
larger birds having bills, as in Long-billed Curlew, Long-billed and
Short-billed Dowitchers. Seems like the shorter instrument could be considered a beak
while the longer version could be considered a bill. Then, here comes a flock
of crossbills and we're back to square one. But we're certainly having fun,
aren't we?

In the short, well-known poem about the pelican, the writer refers to its
bill in one line and its beak in the next line. Perhaps he found it easier for
the purpose of rhyming "beak" with "week." A perfect example of poetic
license. Don't even think about a "duck-beaked platypus." It just doesn't work.

I say you can play it by ear or even....wing it!


Joe Meche
Bellingham