Taylor Bennett

Anthropology
02/05/2016
Lab Report
1

Title: Natural Selection Bird Beak Activity

Introduction
a In September 1835 Charles Darwin came ashore the Galapagos Islands, he
observed and collected many of the small birds inhabiting the islands. (PBS Web.)
Darwin observed the many finches for about 5 weeks, he learned that the birds
were closely related but their beaks varied and had adapted to the many types of
food sources on the islands. There were ground finches that ate seeds, there were
tree finches that ate buds, fruits, and blossoms. There were also another type of
tree finch called wood pecker finches that ate manly insects, and another ground
finch called warbler finch that also ate insects. (Human Origins)
b

Hypothesis.
i The bigger binder clips will be capable of collecting more seeds compared
to smaller binder clips, and will result in smaller binder clips dying.
ii After observing the many sizes of beaks (clips, tweezers, and other objects
given) I could see that the small binder clips were not big enough to fit
most seeds in the clip. Some binder clips were bigger, being able to fit all
the sizes of seeds in it, having a better chance of picking the seeds up.

Materials and Methods

a The materials used included a small paper cup to represent our bird stomachs,
and multiple things to represent beaks. We used large and small binder clips,
chopsticks, big and small hair clips, tweezers, clothes pins, and after a mutation
eventually a tong was used. We used the variety of beaks to pick up sun flower
seeds about 3/4ths an inch long.
b. After each student was given a tool (about five of each tool) we then spread
anywhere from twenty to thirty seeds all over the desks. We then set a timer for sixty
seconds and tried to collect as many seeds as possible using our tool given to us, only
picking one up at a time and putting in the cup in the time period. The three students
with the least amount of seeds in the cup died and the three with the most seeds won,
and then reproduced. The three dead birds now represented one of the winning birds
and were given (inherited) the winners beaks. Now all three offspring birds, with
inherited beaks sat back at their table for the next round. We recorded which tools one
and how many were lost (died) and how many were gained (inherited).

Results
a
Beaks
Chopsticks
Clothes
pins
Large hair
clips
Tweezers
Small hair
clips
Binder
clips
Chip clips
Tongs
Total

Beginning
5
5

Round 1
5
4

Round 2
4
4

Round 3
3
2

Round 4
2
2

Round 5
2
2

5
5

7
5

8
5

10
5

11
5

12
4

34

34

5
1
35

5
1
35

5
1
35

5
1
35

Bird beak results

Chopsticks

Clothes pins

Large hair clips

Tweezers

Small hair clips

Binder clips

Chip clips

Tongs

c
After testing the variety of beaks for sixty seconds, we gathered our data. The first
round, a smaller binder clip died and two tweezers were reproduced. The second
round a chop stick, and two binder clips died, while a large hair clip, tweezer, and
chip clip were gained, then a tong was mutated. The third round a chopstick, and two
clothes pins died, while a larger hair clip, and two tweezers were gained. The fourth

round one chopstick died, and one tweezer was born. The last round one small hair
clip died and one tweezer was reproduced.
5

Conclusion
a My Hypothesis was supported because the three binder clips that were lost were
the smaller clips, and the other two larger clips survived.
b

My hypothesis was supported because a smaller binder clips was lost in the first
round and two more on the second round. The smaller binder clips could not eat
the seeds as well as the bigger ones.

After the second round my figures hurt from the small clips. This is a factor that
could have slowed me down other than the clip being too small to pick up many
seeds.

If this experiment was to be reenacted by other researchers it can either prove the
results to be actuate or false. If the researches get similar answers it proves that
beak type plays a role in survival. If the researches get different results it could
prove that the classes results were based off of the individuals own speed.

Discussion
a Natural selection is when a mutation accurse within the subject and that mutation
is favorable to the subjects survival in their environment. The mutation allows the
host to survive in its environment whether it be against elements or praetors. The
subject must be fertile, and capable of passing the mutation on to its offspring and
it will continue to favor them. The first of the four underlying assumptions is
Natural Biological Variation. For example variations in fur color, like white fur
for a rabbit living in snow can help it survive predators. The second assumption is
Inheritance, this is when an individual gains the traits from either parent. The third
is Competition, when the population continues to grow but food source stays the
same, now food is a competition. The last is that individuals with favorable
variations are more likely to survive and leave more offspring. (Human Origins)
b

This activity simulates natural selection because we all had variations of beaks
that either benefitted how many seeds we could eat or enabled how many seeds
we could eat. Each bird was given the same amount of time, representing life. The
birds that could not eat enough died and the birds that eat more not only survived
but the second assumption came into play and their beaks were passed down to
their offspring. This was a perfect example of how natural selection works
amongst the birds. The underlying assumptions played a big role because
biological variation was the different shapes and sizes of the beaks. The third
assumption came into play when we had to leave our table to collect more seeds
ounce we ran out. We were only given so many seeds and have to fight for some.
Finally the last assumption induvial birds that had favorable shaped beaks were
more likely to survive and pass their beak down to their offspring.

References

PBS Evolution Library, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/6/l_016_02.html 2001

Web.
Jurmain, Robert/ Kilgore, Lynn/ Trevathan, Wenda. Human Origins, Evolution and Diversity,
Mason, Ohio. Cengage Learning, 2013 Print.