Toucan Bills Mysteries
A toucan’s beak is one third of its entire length but comprises only about one thirtieth to fortieth of its mass. Nevertheless, toucan beaks are extremely stiff, which is crucial for the gathering of food. The outside of a Toucan beak is made of beta-keratin and the inside is an “internal foam” made from bone. This internal foam is an extension of the skull and is usually hollow at the center. UCSD researchers are studying the relationship between the structure and mechanical properties of Toco Toucan beaks. The engineers report that Toco Toucan beak structure is a sandwich composite with an exterior of keratin and a middle comprised of a fibrous network of closed cells made of bone. The researchers determined the tensile strength of the keratin exterior, which is made of polygonal scales glued together. Components of the internal part of the Toco Toucan beak have a Young’s modulus twice as high as the keratin shells due to their higher calcium content. The engineers report a synergistic effect between the internal foam and keratin shell as evidenced by experiments and analysis establishing the separate responses of shell, foam, and foam+shell.
Poster #188: MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF BIRD BEAKS
Primary Student: Yasuaki Seki yaseki AT ucsd DOT edu
Faculty Advisor: Marc A. Meyers
Department: Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
