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.
Around 90% of all bird species form monogamous pairs, but true lifelong bonds are far rarer. Among the species that do mate for life are the mute swan, snowy albatross, whooping crane, bald eagle, and many parrots, along with some vultures, penguins, owls, corvids, and even sparrows – birds that return to the same partner […]
The common ostrich is the world’s fastest-running bird, capable of sprinting at recorded speeds up to 97 km/h (60 mph) and sustaining steady runs at over 70 km/h (43 mph). Behind the ostrich, the greater rhea and lesser rhea follow as the next fastest land birds, each capable of reaching speeds above 60 km/h (37 […]
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).
The elf owl is the world’s smallest owl, weighing as little as 35 grams (1.2 ounces) and measuring just 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) in length. Close behind are the long-whiskered owlet and Tamaulipas pygmy owl, two elusive forest species with males as small as 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) and just over 50 grams (1.8 ounces) […]
The common ostrich is the world’s largest flightless bird, standing up to 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) tall and weighing close to 160 kilograms (353 pounds). Its powerful legs, long neck, and impressive size make it an unmistakable figure across the African savannas. Close relatives such as the Somali ostrich, emu, and the southern and northern […]
The Great Nicobar serpent eagle is the world’s smallest eagle, with adults weighing as little as 450 grams (1 pound) and averaging just 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) in wingspan. Close behind is the pygmy eagle of New Guinea, the smallest member of the Aquilinae subfamily, with some males weighing under 500 grams (1.1 pounds).
The southern cassowary is widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous bird due to its sheer aggression and deadly physical traits, but in terms of actual human fatalities, the common ostrich may be deadlier, with multiple deaths reported each year in parts of Africa.
The Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle holds the record for the largest wingspan among eagles, reaching an impressive 2.84 meters (9.3 feet). The harpy eagle is the heaviest, with wild females weighing up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds), while the Steller’s sea eagle consistently rivals both in sheer mass and wingspan, making it one of the most […]
The snowy albatross is the largest flying bird, with a wingspan of up to 3.7 meters (12.1 feet). The great bustard is the heaviest, reaching 21 kilograms (46 pounds), while the sarus crane is the tallest at 1.8 meters (5.9 feet). Each species has evolved unique flight adaptations, from dynamic soaring to powerful takeoffs. This […]
Some birds look more like nightmares than nature’s creations. The marabou stork, with its hunched vulture-like stance and bald, wrinkled head, is one of the ugliest scavengers in the animal kingdom, while the shoebill’s eerie, unblinking stare makes it downright scary. The wide-eyed potoo looks permanently creepy, and the southern screamer is both goofy and […]