The ability of hands to manipulate objects has enabled humans to develop pivotal innovations, such as tools and shelters. But many animals without hands still must manipulate objects such as food and nest material for survival and reproduction. For instance, birds feed and use various materials to build nests mainly using their bills, which appear much simpler than hands. Understanding the morphological and behavioural characteristics of the elaborate manipulations made by birds provides clues to the fundamental mechanisms of object manipulation. In this keynote, I will introduce my research on how birds make structures like tools and nests, proposing that object manipulation has a broader scientific significance than just an evolutionary precursor to tool use in primates, but is an essential task that many animals tackle every day. This research has taken me all over the world, letting me work with diverse people. I will finish with some lessons I have learned through this process.