Why do birds have such a wide variety of beaks? Family Workshop at the Wildlife Recovery Center

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At the Menorca Wildlife Recovery Center, we’re kicking off September with a new round of family activities. In this Tuesday’s workshop, we’ll offer a series of fun and educational games to help understand why birds have such a remarkable diversity of beaks.

Have you noticed? Some birds have very short beaks, while others have long ones. There are also birds with thin, thick, sharp, straight, or hooked beaks…

The beak is the primary tool for birds. Since they don’t have hands, they must rely entirely on their claws and beaks to do everything. Depending on their diet and strategies (digging, building nests, drilling into wood…), each species has a different type of beak. Some beaks are like harpoons or daggers, perfect for spearing fish; others are fine-tipped like tweezers for catching small insects; some are thick and strong for cracking seeds, and the list goes on. Through play, we’ll discover the different beaks of Menorca’s birds and what they use them for.

Remember, until the end of summer, the Wildlife Recovery Center is open for visits from Monday to Saturday, starting at 5:30 PM and continuing until sunset.

The Recovery Center is located within the Pedreres de s’Hostal at Líthica. To visit, you must first purchase a Líthica entry ticket, which you can get in advance at https://lithica.es/visita/ (4€ for residents, 7€ for non-residents, and free for children under 13). You can also buy tickets at the box office for an additional euro.

The entrance to Pedreres de s’Hostal is located on Camí Vell de Ciutadella, km 1. Once inside, come to the Recovery Center, where we’ll ask for a 2€ supplement. Entry is free for children under the age of 13.

Your visit greatly supports our work. We look forward to seeing you!

September Family Activities Program:

  • September 3rd: Why do birds have such a wide variety of beaks?
  • September 10th: Why do birds and other animals travel thousands of kilometers during migration?
  • September 17th: What do the colors of animals tell us?
  • September 24th: What dangers do invasive species pose to Menorca’s native wildlife?