Bird's beaks are very important.  They help the bird gather food and sometimes they rip, tear, or crush food.  They can act as an extra hand, such as when parrots use their beak for climbing.  They are used for building nests, and in some species of birds they can even tie knots.  They are also important for preening, which is making sure all of the bird's feathers are in their proper place.

The top part of the beak is called the upper mandible, and the lower part is called the lower mandible (labeled in the diagram at right)

To learn more about beaks and how they determine what kinds of food a bird eats, click on "Types of Beaks" at left..