What do wild birds eat and how their beaks tell you what they eat?

The shape of a bird's beak tells you what it eats. A sparrow crushes seeds with its short thick beak; a robin catches insects with its short thin beak; a snipe probes for worms with its long straight beak; and a sparrowhawk tears meat with its sharp hooked beak.

In autumn some birds like robins, song thrushes and blackbirds have to change what they eat. As most insects will have died off, they eat berries and seeds.

To find out more about how beaks really fit the bill, and learn a new skill, watch this short video.

Read more about the low down on beaks in Food, Glorious Food