Hi! Let's learn about a dolphin's beak (rostrum)

A dolphin's "beak" is the long nose or snout on the front of its head. Scientists call it the rostrum, but you can just say "beak." It looks like a long, smiling mouth!

What the beak looks like

• Long and pointy, like a smooth, rounded cone.
• Has lots of small, cone-shaped teeth along the sides.
• The top of the dolphin has a blowhole (like a nose) on its head — not on the beak.

What the beak is used for

1. Grabbing fish: Dolphins use the beak and teeth to grab slippery fish. They usually swallow fish whole, not chew them.
2. Holding things: The beak helps hold toys, seaweed, or shells.
3. Finding food: Dolphins use sounds from their head (not the beak) to find fish, and the beak helps them catch the fish they find.

Teeth — but not for chewing

Dolphins have many teeth (some have dozens). The teeth are good for catching and holding prey. Dolphins usually swallow food whole.

Fun facts

• People often call the dolphin's nose a "beak" because it looks like a bird's beak, but it's a mouth.
• Each dolphin species has a different beak length — some are short, some are long.
• Dolphins smile because of their mouth shape, but the smile doesn't always mean the same as a human smile.

Easy drawing activity

1. Draw a smooth curved line for the dolphin's back and head.
2. Make a long rounded triangle for the beak that sticks out from the head.
3. Add a smiling line for the mouth along the beak.
4. Draw a small circle for the eye above the mouth.
5. Add the fin and tail, and color your dolphin!

Safety note: Dolphins are wild animals. It's best to watch them from a distance and not try to touch wild dolphins.

Have fun drawing and learning about dolphin beaks!