These Birds Don't Seem Real
We know you've seen the usual crows, pigeons, and seagulls, but what about the shoebills and jacanas of the world? Today, we're going to open your mind to all the beautiful and unique birds that live on our planet. Many of these birds possess such weird and wacky physical traits that you'll be surprised they're not from a different time!
1. Shoebill
Also referred to as the whale-headed stork, not only do Shoebills have incredibly long and thin legs, but they also have very wide and flat bills. Its distinctive shape makes this bird a unique one to look at - have you seen anything like it? Well, you most likely haven't given that it generally lives in the swampy areas of East Africa.
2. Southern Cassowary
Looking like something from the prehistoric era, the southern cassowary, found in countries like Australia and Indonesia, is currently considered an endangered species. This huge flightless bird is closely related to the emu, sharing similarities like its unique body shape, long neck, and long legs. The most notable aspects of its appearance is definitely its massive horn sitting atop its head, its blue neck, and thick plumage.
3. Kagu
The contrast between the Kagu's pale white feathers and its bright red beak and legs makes this bird an easy one to spot. Its appearance isn't the only strange thing about it though - despite what it looks like, the Kagu is flightless! Instead, it spends its time waddling on the ground looking for food.
4. Helmeted Hornbill
One look at this bird and you can immediately tell how it got its name! With its large helmet-like structure sitting right above its beak, the helmeted hornbill certainly isn't the most pretty to look at. Its casque isn't just almost entirely solid, it's so heavy, it's said to make up approximately 10% of its entire weight!
5. Marabou Stork
Storks are often depicted in fictional stories as beautiful and graceful birds that are loving and nurturing, but the marabou stork might wake you from that fairy tale. With its exceptionally skinny legs, long beak, and massive wings, this bird looks more like something out of our nightmares! It's said to have the largest wingspan of any land bird, of around 3 meters, making you realize just how massive this bird truly is.
6. Kākāpō
If this is the first time you're seeing this bird, you'll be sad to hear there are already less than 250 found across the world. The Kākāpō is a fascinating bird is endemic to New Zealand with numerous interesting traits. For one, this lesser-known parrot species is both nocturnal and flightless! It's believed to have one of the longest lifespans of any bird, having the potential to live as long as 90 years.
7. Magnificent Frigatebird
With the word 'magnificent' in its title, you know you're in for a treat with this bird. The Magnificent Frigatebird immediately catches your eye with its large, protruding red pouch which is found on all males, but not all females. And if you thought that bright red was blinding enough, just wait until mating season - males will inflate and puff out that pouch to catch the eye of worthy potential partners!
Andrew Turner from Washington, DC, United States on Wikimedia
8. Hoatzin
A wild-looking animal, the Hoatzin is as special as its name sounds; it's the national bird of the country Guyana! Found in tropical areas like the swamps, forests, and Amazon of South America, this bird is easily identifiable thanks to its messy and spiky crest, blue face, and menacing deep red eyes.
Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia on Wikimedia
9. California Condor
Do vultures terrify you? Well, you should definitely stay away from the California condor then. Though it once faced extinction back in 1987, it's been since reintroduced back into ecosystems found in parts of America and Mexico. Not only does this creature have the largest wingspan of any bird found in North America, it's also considered one of the longest-living species, living up to 60 years.
10. Vulturine Guineafowl
While those bright red eyes might already scare you, the vulturine guineafowl has even more strange physical traits. With vibrant blue plumage mixed with black and white striped feathers running down from its neck and white dots spread across the rest of its body, this bird certainly has many patterns and colors. And to make things even weirder, they have short tufts of brown hair that sit on the back of its head.
Manfred Werner / Tsui on Wikimedia
11. Blue-footed Booby
Aside from its strange and funny name, the blue-footed booby has well, bright blue feet! It's a unique characteristic that immediately makes it stand out and is typically used during their mating rituals as a form of enticement. You can generally find this bird along the tropical areas running down the Eastern Pacific.
Ndecam from London, UK on Wikimedia
12. Jacanas
Also commonly called Jesus birds or lily trotters, this group of birds might not seem so strange until you look down at their feet. Jacanas have been given these interesting nicknames because of its amazing ability to walk atop floating plants like lily pads thanks to its exceptionally long feet and toes.
13. Secretary Bird
A weird name for a weird bird! Believed to have received this name thanks to its hilarious resemblance to male secretaries who would wear tailcoat suits and black pants, the secretary bird is found in Africa and though it can fly, often stays on the ground. Though it's hard to see from photos, its quite the large animal sitting at about 4 feet tall and a wingspan of around 6 feet.
14. Resplendent Quetzal
The resplendent quetzal might just be one of the most majestic and beautiful birds you'll ever see that you didn't know exist. Coming in a variety of vibrant hues, you can find these creatures living across Mexico and different parts of Central America. It may be the national bird of Guatemala, but sadly, these animals are facing serious danger. Thanks to environmental changes and deforestation, the resplendent quetzal population is dealing with severe habitat threats like never before.
15. Hoopoe
The common hoopoe certainly has one of the most stylish hairdos of all birds! Its unique feathered crown makes it noticeable among even all these weird birds on the list. Found across several continents like Africa, Asia, and Europe, these birds have been split into two separate species: the Eurasian and Madagascar hoopoe.
16. King Vulture
When you see the word 'king,' you're probably imagining something majestic and royal; but once you see the king vulture, you'll definitely be feeling something more along the lines of fear. With its distinctive brightly colored facial features, this bird has a beak so strong, it can easily tear its way through any obstacle, including its prey. While they are exceptionally large birds, they're still second to condors.
Renato Augusto Martins on Wikimedia
17. Swordbilled Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are already very fascinating birds given their pointy bills, but the swordbilled kind really take it up a notch. With an even longer, sharper bill that's longer than the entirety of its body, the swordbilled hummingbird is one of a kind. Sadly, you won't see these animals on your strolls at the park - they're found in the Andean region across South America, like Columbia and Ecuador.
18. Long-wattled Umbrellabird
Now that's definitely a mouthful to say! With feathers sitting atop its head like a fancy updo, the long-wattled umbrellabird is a rather rare bird found in regions across Ecuador and Columbia. Males of this species however, do possess one very unusual physical trait: an exceptionally long throat wattle that can grow to exceed the length of its body. Females either have none or a significantly shorter wattle!
Francesco Veronesi from Italy on Wikimedia
19. Frogmouth
This nocturnal bird may seem pretty normal, almost reminiscent of an owl, but once you see it with its mouth wide open, you'll understand how it got its name. With an exceptionally wide, gaping, yellow-colored mouth, the inside of the frogmouth looks like an endless abyss! Despite being weak fliers, these birds instead surprise their prey by pouncing on them with their strong beak and talons.
User:benjamint444 on Wikimedia
20. Southern Ground Hornbill
This large bird found within different regions of Africa is a scary sight to behold. With its leathery-looking patches of red skin around its face and throat, it's contrasted even more strongly by its black plumage. And growing up to approximately 4 feet tall, this is certainly a bird you don't want to come face-to-face with, especially with that long, sharp, and curved beak of theirs.
