There is more to birds than the color of their plumage. Each bird species has a different kind of beak. We can identify birds by the shape and size of their bill. What's more, a bird's beak is a good clue to its food and habitat. A thin, pointed beak is the ideal tool to pick up insects. Imagine chopsticks. A strong cone-shaped beak functions like a nutcracker. A wide, flat bill is perfect for catching food in flight. Long tubular bills work like a straw making them ideal for sipping nectar. Short sharp hooked beaks function much like teeth that rip and tear. Long flat bills with a spoon-shaped tip function like a shovel. Beaks tapered at the tip are perfect for pecking holes. Fringed bills serve as a strainer sifting plants and seeds from mud and water.