wouldnt it be easier for them to chew worms if they did?
2006-11-13 04:51:26 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Yes indeed, I agree with you that it would be easier for them to chew worms if they have teeth. However teeth are heavy and would make it very difficult for birds to fly. This is especially important for birds of prey who must fly swiftly to catch their food. Due to this "anatomical structural design" birds have light beak which is good for giving food a good mashing. Birds "chew" their food inside a part of the stomach called the gizzard. The gizzard has strong muscles which grind the food against a rough inner surface to break it down.♥
2006-11-13 06:24:30 · answer #1 · answered by ♥ lani s 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, the beak of every bird seems to be adapted to what they eat. A parrot who eats seeds and nuts has one adapted to crack nuts and seeds open. Teeth here would get in the way.
Then there are the ones who go for the bugs (worms, grasshoppers and such). I would point out that they are going for small animals who generally live in small holes. A grasshopper aside (and their beak setup doesn't stop them from getting the grasshopper), most of what they eat is in small holes in trees or the ground. Teeth in the beak would force the beak to be bigger (to accomodate the teeth), which would force the bird to bigger holes. And in fact, the bird would be unable to access some holes that were too small. Because of the lack of teeth, the bird can get into smaller holes and therefore is less likely to starve. So whether they evolved that way or God created them that way, it does work better for them to not have teeth.
2006-11-13 13:03:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Birds do not have teeth because teeth are heavy! In order to make flight as energetically efficient as possible, birds have lost a number of features common to terrestrial vertebrates. Females only have one ovary, males only have one testicle (and only during the breeding season), and their bones are light and hollow.
As far as chewing goes, as someone else mentioned, birds have an organ called a gizzard that crushes their food. Furthermore, one cannot chew without cheeks! Chewing is a uniquely mammalian behavior. Cool, huh? :)
2006-11-13 14:29:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
yaah it's true it would have easy for birds if they had teeth,but just think on other side.Birds always have to swallow quickly as they are always afraid of dangers.so if they had teeth then chewing and swallowing would take time which may lead harm to bird's life.secondly birds have an organ called crop which can digest even stones.And my friend,teeth would make them heavier for flight.So just don't worry and believe in god.
2006-11-13 14:40:23 · answer #4 · answered by SUMIRA 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
teeth and a jaw to hold the teeth would be too heavy. That is way birds have a lightweight beak instead and hollow bones...all a part of their adaptations to be able to fly.
2006-11-13 14:38:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have an extra body part that does the chewing for them. I can't remember what its called but it's filled with small stones and it grinds the food. the beak is just for tearing and junk.
2006-11-13 13:01:12 · answer #6 · answered by Shannon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have beaks anyway and they can swallow a whole worm without biting it.Birds had no teeth because God created them like that.
2006-11-13 12:57:53 · answer #7 · answered by DaRkAngeL XIII 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the grinding work is done in gizzard which has stones for this assignment.
2006-11-13 19:47:40 · answer #8 · answered by moosa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋