Power Beak

It seems amazing that toucans don't fall on their faces enormous are the beaks on these colourful South American birds. One large species, the toco toucan, has an orange-yellow beak which can be to nine inches long, about a third of the birds length but its colorful exterior, the toucan's beak is ingeniously designed to be strong and light and therefor extremely practical. It has a two part construction scientists think could even be adapted for in the aviation industry to offer extra protection to passengers the event of a crash. But what is the secret to strength of the toucan's beak? The surface of the beak is of keratin, the same material human fingernails and hair. The outer layer isn't a solid structure, it is actually many layers of tiny hexagonal plates overlapping tiles on a roof. These layers toughen the outside of the beak giving it the strength it needs life in the jungle. The interior, is of a different material to the shell. It is made from bone and has areas of light rigid foam which come together in a structure of little beams and membranes to create hollow areas inside. This empty space makes the enormous beak light for the toucan to fly.

(adapted from National Geographic December 2006)