Birds With the Most Spectacular and Beautiful Beaks
As we know, nature is full of creatures with absolutely unique physique, and this is particularly the case with these birds, easily recognizable thanks to their simply incredible beak. Here below we have mentioned the top 10 birds with the most beautiful and spectacular beaks.
Top 10 Birds with the Most Stunning and Spectacular Beaks
1. The Swordtail Hummingbird
The bill-billed hummingbird is native to South America and looks like a hummingbird in every way with one exception: it has an exceptionally long beak. The latter is so long and so sharp that it is even said to resemble a sword, hence its name.
The beak is even longer than the body of the bird itself since it measures on average 8 cm. But how can such a long beak be useful? In fact, it allows the swordtail hummingbird to reach the nectar of the long flowers.
2. The Rhinoceros Hornbill
The rhinoceros hornbill ( Buceros rhinoceros ), which is found only in Indonesia, gets its name from its beak curving backward, shaped like a rhino horn. We do not know exactly the usefulness of such a mouthpiece but several theories exist.
Some believe that such a shape allows better resonance of the song in the forest, thus allowing the hornbill to be heard from afar. Others believe that such a beak allows for better foraging in dense vegetation.
3. The Shoebill of the Nile
The Nile shoebill ( Balaeniceps rex ) is a wading bird that not only has a strange name, it also has an unusual physique. Blame it on its beak which is bigger than its head and looks like a type of wooden shoe called a hoof.
But that’s not the only feature of its beak. Indeed, it also has a kind of hook at the end which allows the bird to keep its prey (fish, frogs, aquatic snakes…) in its beak but also to cut them.
4. The Toco Toucan
The beak of the toco toucan ( Ramphastos toco ) is so large that it represents 30 to 50% of its entire body surface. However, the toco toucan, which lives in South America, is the largest of all toucans.
But, even if it seems heavy, the beak of this animal is actually very light and not as strong as it has. the air. Here again, the beak of this bird allows it to reach fruit in trees more easily and therefore to eat more easily.
5. The American Pelican
The American pelican ( Pelecanus erythrorhynchos ), in addition to having an oversized bill, has a kind of skin pocket in the lower mandible. This pocket actually acts as a net to catch fish but also to filter water.
But what makes the American Pelican truly unique is that, unlike other pelican species, it has a “horn” that grows on its beak during the breeding season. And it is only when the animal has laid its eggs that this famous horn falls.
6. The Flamingo
Renowned above all for its beauty, the flamingo is also known for its beak which is unlike any other. Its beak is curved and pink with a black tip. It is designed in such a way that it separates mud and water from food. In short, a completely natural filter!
7. Atlantic Puffin
Also called a sea parrot, the Atlantic puffin ( Fratercula arctica ) has a relatively short beak, but all the more effective. Indeed, thanks to the kinds of indentations it has on its beak, it can carry no less than 10 fish at a time!
To observe this magnificent seabird, know that it will not be easy. And for good reason, he lives most of the time on the high seas, in the North Atlantic. It is only during the breeding season that it comes to nest on the cliffs.
8. American Avocet
What makes the American Avocet so original is its long and surprisingly thin beak that allows it to forage in shallow water. Indeed, this bird lives mainly near lakes, lagoons, and streams.
9. The Kiwi
The kiwi ( Apteryx australis ), native to New Zealand, is the only bird that has nostrils at the very end of its beak. Usually, the nostrils of other birds are near their face. This particularity gives it a simply exceptional sense of smell. Note that the kiwi is the smallest of the birds that do not fly. Indeed, it is the size of a hen!
10. The Roseate Spatula
The roseate spoonbill is a wading bird that has a spatula-shaped beak. The latter allows it to filter the water from food. To feed, the Roseate Spoonbill moves by walking in the soft, shallow waters of marshes and moves its submerged bill from side to side.
Also Read: Best Disney Plus Movies of All Time to Watch in 2021