Category: Curated lists

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.

17 birds with the longest tail feathers across the globe

Male Reeves's pheasant showing its tail

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, […]

8 of the smallest hummingbird species known to science

Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)

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 […]

10 of the world’s largest woodpeckers and two disappeared giants

Great slaty woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus)

The great slaty woodpecker is the world’s largest and heaviest living woodpecker, reaching up to 58 centimeters (22.8 inches) in length and weighing as much as 563 grams (19.9 ounces). In terms of wingspan, however, the record belongs to the black woodpecker, the largest species in Europe, which spans up to 84 centimeters (33.1 inches) […]

31 crested birds with the most striking feathered crowns on their heads

A close-up look at the grey crowned crane's crown

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.

19 birds with the largest and longest beaks from around the world

Sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)

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, […]

13 of the world’s smallest birds – some the size of a bumblebee

Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)

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 […]

14 largest birds of prey: Apex predators of the skies

Andean condor in flight

The Andean condor is the world’s largest and heaviest bird of prey, with a wingspan reaching up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) and a body mass of up to 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds). The secretarybird is the tallest and longest predatory bird, standing up to 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) tall and reaching a body length […]

12 of North America’s largest birds, from condors to geese

California condor in flight

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 […]

70 of the world’s rarest birds still found in the wild

Reintroduced Spix's macaws in the wild

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.