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The Beak

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BrokenWing
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« on: March 21, 2009, 07:54:03 am »

BrokenWing Chronicles
The Beak



There are many different adaptations of the bill in birds that vary tremendously in structure depending on the functions necessary and the diet consumed. The bill functionally replaces the lips and teeth of mammals. Another unusual feature of the upper jaw of the bird is that it is moveable, unlike that of mammals. This is made possible by elastic zones in the bones of the face. Psittacine birds have a very strong beak and are also known as hookbills, for obvious reasons. Some parrots have rasplike ridges that run transversely inside the upper bill which can reduce the hardest pits to dust. If you peek up into the upper beak of a macaw, these ridges will be very obvious. Seed-cracking birds such as finches and canaries have a stout, conical beak. There are birds called crossbills, with sharply-pointed upper and lower components of the bill that cross over to hold the scales of fir cones apart so that the tongue can remove the seeds. Hummingbirds consume nectar and pollen and have a bill adapted to penetrate deeply into the throats of flowers. The Hawaiian goose has a specialized bill that can crop vegetation. Flamingoes and many ducks have a series of plates in the bill that filter out small organisms by straining water. Pelicans have an extensive interramal region that has developed into a pouch-like dip net. Anhingas can spear fish with a daggerlike beak. The beak of birds of prey is a hooked bill that is powerful and sharp-pointed. One very interesting bill belongs to the European Nightjar. It is a short wide bill with rictal bristles for netting insects while in flight. The rictal area is along the sides of the upper and lower mandibles, and in the Nightjar, they appear as a moustache that acts as a net to catch insects when the bird's mouth is open.

The bill resembles skin microscopically, because it contains dermis and epidermis. But the epidermis is very thick and contains calcium and keratin, which gives the bill its typical hardness. Although the bill of most birds is thick and hard, it is soft and leathery in some waders. The bill is only hard at the tip in ducks and geese.

The beak has a bill-tip organ in the upper and lower bills. This organ is very sensitive and is used by the bird to feel the environment, and allows the bird to discriminate between food and other particles. It makes sense that a bird like a duck or goose that must sift through the mud to find food will require a method of feeling with its beak like how we might use our sensitive fingertips. Because the beak is so sensitive, no one should EVER intentionally cut a beak back short enough to make it bleed as a method of "attitude adjustment." The bird relies on its beak like we use our fingers, so it is dangerous and cruel to cut a beak to the bleeding point. Overgrown beaks are like our fingernails. The dead portion of the fingernail and beak have no feeling, but may transmit heat and vibration. So, the overgrown beak may be safely trimmed back to normal length without causing pain to the bird. A good avian vet knows what a normal beak shape and length should be, so that it can be properly trimmed. The nerve endings for the beak are in channels that can be seen as white dots in a black beak.

The newly hatched baby bird has a small pointed hardened process on the front portion of the upper beak, called the egg tooth. The egg tooth is used by the hatchling to pip into the air cell of the egg, and then to break and unzip the shell. It is then shed sometime after hatching.

At-home beak care
Beak care is critical for the overall health of the bird. The beak is the entry for nutrients, and is used for climbing and playing. We can help promote beak health by ensuring the bird is getting all the nutrients he needs and detecting any problems early. Some at-home care includes:
Daily checking the health of your bird. Look for cracks, overgrowth, or discoloration of the beak.
Consulting an avian veterinarian if you suspect that your bird's beak is growing unevenly. This can indicate underlying problems such as liver or nutritional issues. Your avian veterinarian can determine the reason for the problem as well as trim it to prevent problems with eating or preening.
Providing chewing toys, any toy that a bird has to work at chewing will help keep his beak trim. These include build-your-own toys that you can make by alternating mineral pieces with rope, wooden, blocks, and plastic.
Including different textures of perches, including cement perches specifically made for beak and nail health. Note: Do not use sandpaper perches.
Housing the bird in a proper size cage. Owners of large parrots, especially, need to provide a sturdy cage. Parrot owners we know have come home to a flimsy cage with snapped bars and the soldering (made of toxic lead and zinc in some inexpensive cages) chewed off.

Trauma
Trauma to the beak may occur as the result of fighting, chewing on electric cords, hitting the beak while flying or landing, or having the beak trapped between cage bars or other hard surfaces. Injuries may include fractures, punctures, and avulsions (tearing away of the beak). Injuries to the beak often bleed, and the hemorrhage needs to be stopped (usually with electrocautery. DO NOT use silver nitrate sticks - they are toxic to birds). The wounds must be cleaned and antibiotics and antifungals may need to be given. The beak has nerve endings, and pain or the displacement of the beak may make eating difficult or impossible. All birds with beak injuries should be examined by a veterinarian. Acrylics may be used to repair the beak until new tissue replaces it.

Prognathism or "Parrot Beak:"
Mandibular prognathism occurs when the tip of the rhinotheca rests on or inside the gnatotheca. This developmental abnormality is most commonly seen in cockatoos. The cause of this condition is unknown, and may include genetics, improper incubation, and hand-feeding techniques. It is rarely seen in parent raised birds. It is thought that when parent birds hook onto the chick's rhinotheca during feeding, they help to promote the normal development of the chick's beak.

As with scissors beak, treatment varies with the severity of the condition and the age of the bird. For some chicks, applying finger pressure several times daily may help, as will using a piece of gauze to apply traction to the upper beak during feeding. In an older bird, in which the beak has calcified, treatment generally involves the placement of an acrylic appliance on the beak. The type of appliance varies depending upon the extent of the problem.

Scissors beak:
Scissors beak is a lateral deviation of the rhinotheca. It is a developmental abnormality that occurs most commonly in cockatoos and macaws. It is thought to be caused by improper temperature during artificial incubation, genetics, or incorrect feeding techniques. Other possible causes include calcium deficiency, trauma, or a viral or mycobacterial infection.

Treatment varies with the severity of the problem and the age of the bird. In young birds with mild deviations, simply applying finger pressure to the appropriate side of the beak for several minutes 2-3 times daily, may correct the problem. In older birds, or those with more severe deviations, an avian veterinarian may need to perform surgery and apply a type of acrylic prosthesis (splint) to correct the abnormal growth.

Overgrown beak:
Either the upper or lower beak may overgrow, though it is far more common for the upper beak to do so. For some normal birds, regular beak trimming is necessary. Other birds may keep their beaks in proper form through eating a hard diet, grooming, climbing, chewing on toys, and rubbing the beak on a slightly abrasive surface. An overgrown beak can be the result of health problems including trauma, developmental abnormalities, nutritional imbalances, polyomavirus-like infection (finches), or liver disease (especially in budgies). See table below.

Treatment consists of trimming the beak to the proper shape and removing any excessive flaking. An overgrown beak is similar to an overgrown fingernail in that the overgrown portion has no sense of pain. The overgrown portion may be safely trimmed back to normal length without causing discomfort to the bird. Beak trimming is best performed by a veterinarian, unless you have considerable experience. If a beak is trimmed too short, it will cause the bird pain, will bleed, and may make it difficult or impossible for a bird to eat. Beak trimming may be performed using manual tools, such as human fingernail clippers and nail files, or side-cutting wire cutters. Some veterinarians prefer to use a Dremel drill grinding stone. In either case, the bird is generally not anesthetized for the procedure.



Other beak conditions
There are many diseases and conditions that can affect the health of the beak

Common Beak Lesions, Abnormal growth
Possible Cause, Liver disease, Knemidocoptes mites, Polyomavirus-like infection, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), Vitamin D3 deficiency, Soft food, Malnutrition, Old trauma.
Species, Budgies, Finches
 
Lesion, Shiny surface to beak (instead of powdery appearance)
Possible Cause, PBFD
Species, Cockatoos

Lesion, Crusty lesions
Possible Cause, Avian Pox, Knemidocoptes mites, Bacterial infection
Species, Amazon parrots, Budgies

Lesion, Soft, pliable beak ("rubber beak")
Possible Cause, Calcium or Vitamin D deficiency
Species, Cockatiels

Lesion, Discoloration
Possible Cause, Malnutrition or systemic disease
Species, Toucans and Lorikeets

Lesion, White lesions in mouth, excess mucus, swelling
Possible Cause, Candida infection, Tric*bleep*nas infection, Bacterial infection, Vitamin A deficiency

Sunken, irregular lesions
Possible Causes, Old trauma, Aspergillus infection, Candida infection, Bacterial infection
PBFD.

Ulcerative lesions at beak junction,
Possible causes, Avian Pox, Tric*bleep*nas
Species, Cockatiels


BrokenWing
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lorek
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« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2009, 01:08:54 pm »

tric bleep nas... interesting... silly filters.... good info BW :)
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