Abstract: A beak ribbon system provides a beak-based ribbon user interface with a gliding beak, shifting commands, and an expanding and collapsing beak box. When a user selects a first name of first commands, the beak ribbon system then displays a beak box that has a beak pointing to the first name and that contains the first commands. Upon receiving a selection of a second name of second commands, the beak ribbon system glides the beak in an animated manner from pointing to the first name to pointing to the second name and replaces the first commands in the beak box with the second commands. The beak ribbon system may also shift the second commands in an animated manner from the first identification towards the second identification. The beak ribbon system may also expand and collapse the beak box in an animated manner.