Man's highly developed brain is arguably our greatest adaptation.

We don't have specialized bills, legs, or feet like birds but have learned to develop tools to feed and survive.I'd like to identify a few birds and their adaptations as well as discuss a few "specialists."The American oystercatcher is seen regularly along our Atlantic beaches. Obviously its bill is its most striking and identifying feature.As its name suggests, the oystercatcher uses its large, brightly colored bill to feed on primarily shellfish. Its specialized bill is designed to slip into a partially opened bivalve (bivalves are the two shelled mollusks) such as razor clams, mussels, clams, and, of course, oysters.The bill quickly tears the muscle a file clam uses to close its shell, and the oystercatcher is then able to pry it open and feast on the soft mollusks body.The bill is also used to probe into the sandy bottom to locate a buried bivalve, bring it ashore, and then pound at the shell until it opens.Unfortunately, this uniquely adapted bird's population is dropping due to constant development of the coast and to the increasing population of gulls, one of its competitors for nesting sites.The common egret and most of the heron species, have obvious specialized adaptations as well. These birds do most of their feeding in tidal pools, ponds, or bay areas where they use their long, thin legs to get closer to the minnows and fish on which they feed.The thin legs allow them to walk through the water with little disturbance so not to scare away their prey. The long neck gives them a greater range to extend farther to reach its food. Their long, thin pointed bill is used to spear the fish which they then swallow head first, whole.A ruby-throated hummingbird as well as all hummingbird species, has a needlelike bill used to probe into a flower to reach the nectar. Nectar is the sugary substance on which hummingbirds and bees feed.They particularly like tubular flowers such as petunias, trumpet vines, and gladiolus.Those readers who feed hummingbirds have seen the depth to which they can insert that bill. Some may have even noticed the thin tongue which may be nearly twice as long as the bill.Hummingbirds are the only bird species that can fly backward. This is accomplished partly because:A. They have 25 percent of their body weight in their pectoral (breast) muscles which is a higher percentage than any other speciesB. They are able to move their wingtips in a figure eight pattern allowing them to generate lift both forward and backwardC. Their shoulder joints are extremely well adapted for this movement. Some hummingbird species can beat their wings nearly 200 times a second. This is why you may hear the "humming sound" as you work in the garden before you even see the bird.Each bird species has a number of adaptations allowing them to be successful.In forthcoming articles I'll touch on information such as raptors tremendous eyesight, owl's special feathers, and how woodpeckers don't scramble their brains.Whether it is a bird, mammal, reptile, or amphibian, you can find many adaptations that keep them successful and flourishing in our local habitats.Remember, keep your eyes open, and in the reference to hummingbirds, keep your ears attuned as well.Test your knowledge: How many hummingbird species are normally found east of the Mississippi River?A. One B. Two C. Six D. 10Answer to last week's nature question: If a robin would lay her four or five eggs all in one day, she would have to carry those four or five fully developed eggs probably making her too heavy to fly.That is the chief reason birds only lay one egg per day; weight conservation. Imagine a grouse carrying her clutch of 12 eggs and how heavy she would be …Contact Barry Reed at

breed71@gmail.com.