We promise that you’ve never seen these birds on Animal Planet. They’re rare, exotic, and a must see on your radar. Because from super horned birdies from South America, to the crowned kings of the jungle, these colorfully awesome exotic birds will leave you wondering how those TV shows ever missed them.
Bali Bird-of-Paradise
The Birds of Paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species in this family are found on the island of New Guinea and its satellites, with a few species occurring in the Moluccas and eastern Australia. It’s likely that you will only see them on film, though, because they mostly live in inaccessible, dense rainforest habitats.
D’Arnaud’s Barbet
The D’Arnaud’s Barbet is one of 42 species of barbet, all of which are found in sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike other birds who would prefer to create their nests on trees, the D’Arnaud’s Barbet nests in vertical tunnels two to three feet (.6 to .9 meters) into the ground.
The Atlantic Puffin
The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a seabird species in the auk family. It is a pelagic bird that feeds primarily by diving for fish, but also eats other sea creatures, such as squid and crustaceans. Its most obvious characteristic during the breeding season is its brightly colored bill. Also known as the Common Puffin, it is the only puffin species which is found in the Atlantic Ocean.
Royal Flycatcher
This bird is known for the magnificent natural crown, which is resplendent in a vibrant red color. Its males have an amazing red crown while the females have a black crown with deep blue edges. Like peacocks, the Flycatchers spread their feathered crown in courtship ceremonies and during violent confrontations with other birds of their species.
Golden Pheasant
A truly magnificent sight, the Golden or Chinese Pheasant is another type of bird that catches the eye with a wonderful display of color. These are gamebirds, native to western China, although they have been bred in other countries like the UK, and are unmistakably lovely with a golden crest, rump and bright red body. When showing off to attract a mate, the male spreads his deep orange ‘cape,’ which looks just like a black and orange fan covering everything except the bright yellow eye. It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China, but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
Malabar Pied Hornbill
This strange-looking bird is found in India and Sri Lanka and can be easily identified by the horn on its beak. In the past, tribes in India believed that hanging a skull of a hornbill in the house would bring wealth and money, but over the years they stopped with this custom. Experts have not been able to quantify the number of Malabar Pied Hornbill currently in existence, but it is classified as a “threatened species” that may dwindle over the next few years.
The California Condor
The California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is a New World vulture, and the largest North American land bird. This condor inhabits northern Arizona and southern Utah (including the Grand Canyon area and Zion National Park), the coastal mountains of central and southern California, and northern Baja California. Although other fossil members are known, it is the only surviving member of the genus Gymnogyps.
The Northern Cardinal
The male Northern Cardinal may be responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning.
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