Hummingbird bills do a lot more than sip nectar

Most hummingbirds have beaks and tongues perfectly designed to slip into a flower, lick up nectar and squeeze every last drop of precious sugar water from their tongues to fuel their crazy lifestyle. . However, in the tropics of South America, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley have found that some male hummingbirds trade efficient food for more efficient beaks to stab and gnaw other hummingbirds while fending off their rivals for food and mates. The angled beak of males is useful not only for feather plucking and skin pinching but also for driving rivals away from the main feeding grounds.