With almost 11,000 species described globally, there is an extreme diversity of shapes, sizes, and behaviours in the bird class. If you occasionally take for granted the birdlife fluttering around you every day, hopefully the following outright bizarre species we have picked out will help you appreciate just how much there is to enjoy and learn about our feathered friends.
King Vulture
You may be forgiven for thinking that vultures in general aren’t the most vibrant birds on the colourful creature spectrum. If you have ever thought like that, then the King Vulture would very likely change your mind. They have a white plumage with a black trim on their undercarriage that you will see as they soar on the thermal vents over much of Central and South America, but it is their face that stands out the most in its beauty. Their white eyes have a red outer rim, with their neck a contrast of red and yellow. The beak continues the red theme, and they have a brilliant wattle just above it to add to their unique look.
Vultures play an exceptionally important role in the ecosystem, and King Vultures are no exception. They are part of nature’s clean-up crew, as carrion makes up the main part of their diet. After feeding, they ensure their feathers are kept clean by stretching them out in the sun, a process called “sunning”. So not only are they playing a pivotal role in the decomposition of carcasses, but they are also preventing disease by keeping themselves as clean as possible. Undeniably amazing and important birds in almost every sense.
Vampire Finch
Island life may seem idyllic, but it isn’t always gently swaying palms and sipping icy beverages. The Galapagos archipelago is a volcanic chain of islands. Some of the younger western islands are desolate wastelands with very little life, whilst older eastern islands are lush and very biodiverse. Darwin Island and Wolf Island, home to vampire ground finch, belong to the former. Though much of their diet is quite normal for ground finches, comprised of seeds and invertebrates, problems arise during the dry season. Fresh water and their invertebrate prey become very scarce during this period, and the Vampire Finches have established a quite gruesome way to obtain the nutrition they require in their diet.
Thought to have arisen from parasite-cleaning services offered by many small birds, vampire ground finches discovered at one point that excessive pecking leads to the bleeding of the Nazca booby. When fresh water is so scarce, feeding on blood (also known as haematophagy) can give a much-needed boost to water intake. However, ingesting blood can cause problems due to the high levels of iron and sodium. To alleviate these problems, vampire ground finches have convergently evolved with a much more famous blood drinker – vampire bats – to have similar gut microbiomes that allow to process such high quantities of these elements. They are one of the most astonishing examples of evolution in action.
Vogelkop Superb-Bird-of-Paradise
If you have ever been told you need to work on your dancing skills, then you should try and take some inspiration from this amazing bird. The male Vogelkop superb bird of paradise has one of the most elaborate and amazing courtship displays you will ever see. Extending their feathers into a crescent shape, they display an extremely vibrant blue face across their plumage. This pattern is particularly striking, as they have the some of the blackest colouring known in nature on the rest of their feathers, allowing the blue to truly stand out. Once their pattern is displayed, they will begin to dance around the female in an attempt to impress her; they are quite literally putting on their finest outfit and going to a ball. This courtship display was only documented for the first time in 2016, and the amazing photography of Tim Laman produced some of the first images of their dance shown here.
Shoebill
Although they may look like something out of Jurassic Park, shoebills are found in the swamps of central tropical Africa. They have been aptly named due to the striking similarity of their bill to a Dutch clog, and standing at 5 feet tall, they have an almost villainous presence about them. Their hunting methods enhance that eerie demeanour they portray; by standing completely still, they wait for their food to come to them, and then use a method called “collapsing” to fall on their prey before they have anytime to respond. This prey can vary from snakes, to eels, to even a hagfish that has come to the surface for air, and the sheer size of their 1-foot bill makes catching their prey even easier.
Although you usually won’t hear much from the shoebill whilst they are waiting silently to hunt their prey, you may occasionally hear a clattering as they bang their bill together to communicate with one another. This clattering needs to be able to make a loud noise, as they are primarily solitary birds who enjoy their own space. You can’t blame them; when you look as eye-catching as they do, you want all the attention for yourself!
Great Potoo
When wondering past a log in the Neotropics, you might have stumbled past this peculiar looking bird without realizing. During the sunlight hours, great potoos use their mottled feather markings to camouflage themselves amongst the trees. By remaining almost completely still, they resemble a branch more than a bird, helping disguise themselves from the prying eyes of predators above. Keeping their eyes shut tight, their luminous black eyes are hidden making their camouflage even more effective. Yet, this does not mean they cannot see, as small slits in their eyelids allow them to sense movement whilst remaining inconspicuous.
They turn from the hunted to the hunter at night, as their large, goofy-looking beaks are used to predate on large insects and even bats. The nighttime is also when you will hear their unique call, which could easily be mistaken for a human crying for help rather than birdsong.
Sword-billed hummingbirds have the longest bill in relation to their body size of any bird, and are the only bird with a bill longer than the body itself. The primary purpose of this bill is to reach deep into long, tubular flowers rich in nectar, such as the passionflower Passiflora mixta. In fact, these highly specialised birds are the only species able to reach into the long corollas from this flower, depositing pollen on the hummingbirds as they feed. As a result, they are the passionflower’s near-exclusive source of pollination.
Sword-billed hummingbirds are named for the other way in which they use their bills; in fencing. Territories with these types of flowers in are crucial to keep their high-octane bodies fuelled, so the bills are used in combat to defend prime patches of the Andean cloud forests.
Also known as the stinkbird, hoatzins are a bizarre, gregarious species native to the Orinoco and Amazonian Deltas. Despite their striking appearance, hoatzins are folivores, meaning the majority of their diet is made up of leaves. In order to extract as much goodness as possible from this nutrient-poor diet, hoatzins have evolved a striking similarity to domestic cattle. In the front part of their gut, specialised bacteria break down leaves before passing it to the large crop, which is folded into two, has a rough inner surface, and strong muscles to break down the leaf material further – not dissimilar to ruminants chewing cud. This is so effective that up to 70% of the leaf material is digested. This bacterial breakdown does come with the side-effect of producing gas which they expel through foul-smelling burps, giving hoatzins their nickname.
The crop of a hoatzin is so large, it impedes on their flight muscles, making them awkward aviators. Infants will avoid predators by diving into the water below and staying submerged, before using rudimentary claws on their wings to escape the water and navigate branches. To round off their weirdness factor, researchers have been unable to confidently map their evolutionary history. They’re birds placed in their own genus, family, and even order (Opisthocomiformes) but not much is agreed upon beyond that.
Secretary Bird
The distinctive crown of feathers on the head of the Secretary bird is one of the most recognizable features in the bird kingdom. Despite their name, these birds are not designed for sitting at a desk all day. Standing as the tallest raptors in the world at 4 to 5 feet tall, they have long legs that can walk over ten miles a day through sub-Saharan Africa. Their legs make them more than just adept hikers, as they are terrestrial hunters with extremely powerful lower limbs that are covered in a layer of thick scales which will protect them from their prey’s defences. Their stomp is so strong that their prey is not limited to smaller invertebrates and mammals, but can also include more sizeable creatures such as snakes, hares, and hornbills. They can inflict up to 5 times their own body weight in mere fractions of a second, which proves too powerful of a stomp for most of their prey.
The secretary bird is not intent on staying on the ground, as they will often use their 7-foot wingspan to sore on the thermals riding into the sky, with feathers specially adapted for riding out the turbulence and keeping it a smooth flight. They are monogamous breeders who build their nest atop of thorny acacia trees, which gives them added protection from any potential threats.
Oriental Pied Hornbill
The distinctive beak of hornbills can be found across much of Africa and Asia, and the oriental pied hornbill is perhaps the most unique and interesting hornbill species out there. Found through much of south-east Asia, they have the banana-shaped bill that is common amongst hornbills. Yet the pied hornbills have a distinctive helmet atop of their bill which creates an even more recognisable appearance. This helmeted feature is called a “casque”, and it can be used in a multitude of ways: help add volume to their calls, utilised in courtship displays, and even used as a weapon when fighting other hornbills over their territory. In addition to their unique style, hornbills have very interesting nesting behaviour. The females conceal themselves into holes in trees, using a mixture of their own faeces, mud, and pulp to create a protective barrier from any outside interference. She relies on the males to provide food through a tiny slit in the wall, until the chicks are strong enough to leave the nest (around 90 days).
All hornbill species come with that curved bill, but their size and colouration can vary vastly from species to species. If you are a fan of the Lion King, you might remember the slightly annoying yet loveable bird Zazu. He was based off the southern red-billed hornbill of sub-Saharan Africa, and the gallery below showcases a few more different species of these spectacular birds.
Arctic Skua
Arctic skuas have earnt a reputation as the “pirates of the sea”, as they will steal fish directly out of the mouths of other seabirds. This plundering process takes place in flight above the ocean in coastal regions, with their victims include puffins and terns. This is known as kleptoparatism, deriving from the Greek word ‘kleptes’ which translates to ‘thief’. Their mischief is not limited to stealing fish, as they also will also prey smaller birds and chicks, and relentlessly dive-bomb any human or livestock that dares to come near their nest.
Skuas also flip the term “birdbrain” on its head, as they have proven to be extremely fast learners in their predatory habits. Some skuas in Iceland began to target fulmar eggs in the 1940s, even though fulmars can spit a nasty, noxious type of vomit to defend themselves and their nests. The Icelandic skua population quickly learnt how to dodge the fulmars’ attacks, and they still raid fulmar nests to this day.
Rockhopper Penguin
One of the most recognisable penguin species, rockhopper penguins are intent on bringing the 90s frosted tips back into fashion. Yet, this hairstyle does more than just attract a potential mate. They are extremely adept swimmers, capable of diving 100 metres deep and holding their breath for several minutes. When underwater, the streaks of their yellow crests help them easily distinguish whether a penguin is a member of their own species or if they are a competitor. At the deepest depths of their dives, they must fight off extremely cold water to survive. They have a fatty layer that retains heat extremely effectively, which combined with penguin’s extremely high feather density (up to 12 per square cm), means they can manage in those challenging cold conditions of the deep.
Rockhopper penguins are also extremely dedicated parents. The parents will take it in turns guarding the nest, while the other will travel many miles in search of food for both parents and for their hatchling. The pairs are largely monogamous, meaning that each year when returning to the breeding site, the same pairs will reform their union and work in tandem to give their chick the best chance of surviving to adulthood in the face of such harsh conditions and potential predators. You will struggle to find more exceptional parents anywhere else in the animal kingdom.
These ten are just a small sample of the vast selection we could have chosen that are equally as unique or amazing. If you want to explore even more about the weird and wonderful world of birds, the gallery below showcases some of the honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the list.
