It used to be that parrots, hawks, eagles and vultures had beaks - curved downwards structures for tearing fruit or flesh, and all other birds had bills - more dainty pointed structures.
Nowadays however, either term can be used for birds as the distinction has been lost and the terms are used interchangeably.
The beak can also refer to a wide range of other animals, including turtles, some insects, some fish and a few mammals. But the bill is only used for birds (apart from the duck-billed platypus!)...but maybe the dog species shown in the photo below...?
Photo by Nathan
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