How Birds Eat

The flesh-ripping eagle's beak, the perfectly-named roseate spoonbill, a hummingbird's needlenose and long tongue—each of these adaptations enables birds to enjoy favorite foods and thrive in particular environments. Sporting original video footage from North and Central America, Dr. Ron Goor's How Birds Eat profiles both land-based and water birds, discussing their various methods for obtaining food: diving, wading, skimming, filtering, and nectar sipping, as well as fruit, seed, and insect eating. Of course, the birds' bills are the key to the amazing diversity of avian diets, but other physical attributes have also evolved to help each species hunt and feed. For instance, while eagles have sharp beaks, they're also gifted with phenomenal eyesight that allows them to see fish in 100 feet of water. The jacana's long toes help distribute its weight as it lightly walks on aquatic plants, seeking prey below the leaves. And viewers will learn that the flamingo's characteristic pink color comes from carotenoid in the algae it consumes. A visual bird guide is included at the end of the program, which is welcome since there are no onscreen titles identifying the birds during the main program. Highly recommended. Aud: I, J, H, P. (R. Reagan)