HONORS BIOLOGY Battle of the Beaks

PURPOSE:

To learn about the advantages and disadvantages of phenotype variation, by simulating birds with different types of beaks competing for various foods.

BACKGROUND:

In any habitat, food is limited and the types of foods available may vary. Animals that have variations that enable them to take advantage of available foods will be more likely to survive. We call beneficial inherited variations adaptations. Adaptations are inherited characteristics that increase an organism's chance of survival. Individuals with the most helpful adaptations will be the most likely to live long enough to pass on their genes to the next generation. This process ensures that beneficial adaptations will continue in future generations, while disadvantageous characteristics will not. Understanding the concept of adaptive advantage is essential for an understanding of how populations exist in ecosystems as well as the process of evolution.

ROLES:

Timer, Bird, Recorder

Plastic Forks, Plastic Spoons, Tweezers, Large Binder Clips, Paper clips, String, Toothpicks, Dried Macaroni, Beans, Plastic Cups, Plastic Plates, and a Timer

PROCEDURE:

  1. There are stations set up around the room. Each station consists of:
  2. A “beak” (tool) for gathering seeds
  3. 1 plate, with an assortment of “food” items.
  4. 1 bowl that will act as your bird’s stomach.
  5. One person in your group will play the role of the hungry "bird." The tool at your desk represents the bird's "beak." The bird can only use its beak to pick up the food during the activity. The plastic cup represents the bird's "stomach." The cup must remain upright at all times. The bird must hold its beak in one hand, and the stomach in the other hand, close to the body. Only food that is placed in the cup by the beak will be considered "eaten."
  6. Food items will be placed on a plastic plate in front of the bird. The plastic plate represents the bird's "habitat."
  7. One person will be the timer and will say "Go!" when the time has started. The bird will have 45 seconds to feed (or until the food runs out). Collect as much food in the stomach as possible for the time allotted. Anyone who is not responsible enough to maintain safe behavior at all times will no longer participate in the activity and will become an observer.
  8. After the timer says, "Stop!" all the "birds" will empty their stomachs and the recorder will count the contents. Record the data in Data Table. Clean up the food items by putting them back into the "habitat” and move to the next table and tool/beak.
  9. Repeat the activity with all beaks around the room and record data in your data table.

INDIVIDUAL DATA:

Type of Beak / Food Item
Paper clips / Candy corn / Toothpicks / Macaroni / Beans

CLASS DATA: (Average the data together for each beak type.)

Type of Beak / Food Item
Paper clips / Candy corn / Toothpicks / Macaroni / Beans
Fork
Spoon
Tweezers
Binder Clip

GRAPHING THE DATA:

  1. In this experiment, what is the dependent variable? What is the independent variable?
  1. Explain why it is better to use the data from the entire class averaged together when assessing results or creating a graph, rather than using only your own data.
  1. For this experiment, is it better to use a bar graph or a line graph to display the data?
  1. Create an appropriate graph to display the class data for this experiment.

QUESTIONS:

  1. What did you notice about your behavior and the behavior of the other "birds"? Was the behavior of the birds analogous to the behavior of real birds in the wild?
  1. Which beak was best adapted to each type of food? Which beak was least adapted to each type of food?
  1. Obviously, most habitats have more than one food type available. This was simulated in step #7 of the procedure. What was your strategy when all food items were available? How did this differ from your strategy in the previous scenario?
  1. What if the paper clips were high-protein beetles that were 4 times more nutritious than any of the other food items? How would your feeding strategy change?
  1. What would happen if all of the bird types in this activity flew to an island where no birds had been before and the only food available was macaroni? Which birds would be most successful? Which birds would be least successful?
  1. If we came back to this same island (from question #5) in 50 years, what should we expect to see? (What type of birds will live on the island?)