A beak is usually associated with an abrupt narrowing of the fruit above the body. It is clearly seen in the fruits of the corkwoods where the beak is of similar length to that of the fruit body. In other groups, such as the Obliqua group, the fruiting body often has a corky layer present on the body and is clearly delineated from the beak which is smooth and lacking any corkiness.

To observe the beak: hold the fruit so that the suture (that part of the fruit which opens, indicated by a line in the closed fruit) is visible. If there is an abrupt narrowing of the fruit, then a beak is present and consists of the narrowed part above the wider fruit body.