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 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).
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 […]
The akikiki is currently North America’s rarest bird, with fewer than 10 individuals remaining as of 2023. The ivory-billed woodpecker, though likely extinct, has had no confirmed sightings since 1987 and remains unverified as such. Meanwhile, the California condor, once extinct in the wild, has been successfully reintroduced, with 369 individuals recorded in the wild […]
Over the last 25 years, advancements in field research, bioacoustics, and genetic analysis have significantly enhanced our ability to identify and classify new bird species. Since 2000, ornithologists have documented a remarkable number of previously unrecognized species, expanding our understanding of avian biodiversity across diverse ecosystems, from isolated mountain ranges and dense rainforests to understudied […]
Crows, ravens, magpies, grey parrots, and keas are among the world’s smartest birds, demonstrating remarkable problem-solving skills, tool use, complex communication, and even self-awareness. Scientists measure avian intelligence through behavioral experiments, including problem-solving tasks, memory tests, and social interactions.