Carefully compiled lists exploring the diversity of bird species around the world. This category highlights rare and endangered birds, as well as fascinating insights into their behavior, intelligence, and unique adaptations.
The black-thighed falconet is the world’s smallest falcon, with adult males measuring just 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) in length and weighing as little as 28 grams (1 ounce), while spanning only 27 centimeters (10.6 inches) across the wings. Among true Falco species, the Seychelles kestrel is the smallest, reaching just 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) in […]
The Reeves’s pheasant holds the record for the longest tail of any living bird, with adult males growing astonishing tail feathers that can reach up to 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) in length. The ribbon-tailed astrapia, on the other hand, boasts the longest tail relative to body size – males of this species grow elegant, white, […]
The bee hummingbird is the world’s smallest hummingbird, measuring just 5 centimeters (2 inches) in length, weighing as little as 1.6 grams (0.06 ounces), with wingspans as short as 3.25 centimeters (1.28 inches) in particularly small individuals. The gorgeted woodstar is the smallest of the woodstars at just 5.8 centimeters (2.3 inches), while the calliope […]
Among birds crowned with head crests, the most distinctive are the grey crowned crane, Atlantic royal flycatcher, Victoria crowned pigeon, Schalow’s turaco, and rufous-crested coquette. But these are just a few examples – across bird families and continents, crests appear in a remarkable range of forms and functions.
The Australian pelican has the longest beak of any living bird, with adult males reaching an astonishing 50 centimeters (20 inches) in bill length. The sword-billed hummingbird holds the record for the longest beak in proportion to body length, with its slender bill exceeding the length of its body (excluding the tail). The toco toucan, […]
The bee hummingbird is the world’s smallest and lightest bird, with adult males measuring just 5 centimeters (2 inches) in length and weighing as little as 1.6 grams (0.06 ounces). The short-tailed pygmy tyrant is the smallest songbird, reaching just 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) and weighing only 4.2 grams (0.15 ounces). Despite being scarcely larger […]
The California condor is North America’s largest bird, with a wingspan exceeding 3 meters (9.8 feet). The whooping crane is the tallest, reaching a standing height of up to 1.6 meters (5.2 feet), while the trumpeter swan is the heaviest, with some males weighing as much as 17.2 kilograms (37.9 pounds) and wingspans occasionally rivaling […]
Sulu hornbill, silvery pigeon, Magenta petrel, Amsterdam albatross, and the recently reintroduced Spix’s macaw are some of the world’s rarest birds – reduced to critically small numbers, often just tens of individuals. Despite their status, these species can still be found in the wild, if you’re lucky enough to spot them.
The tiny hawk is the world’s smallest hawk, with adult males measuring just 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) in length and spanning as little as 38 centimeters (15 inches) across the wings. The little sparrowhawk is the lightest, with some individuals weighing as little as 68 grams (2.4 ounces) – less than many of the birds […]
The elf owl is the world’s smallest bird of prey, measuring just 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) in length with a wingspan of only 25 centimeters (9.8 inches). The black-thighed falconet is the lightest, weighing as little as 28 grams (1 ounce).