15 unique & exotic birds
from around the world to have on
your bird-watching wish-list!!!
1. Long-tailed Widowbird
The Widowbird, also known as Sakabula, is widespread in savannahs and plains of South Africa. During the mating period the males of this species can boast a long tail, but at other times the tail remains short and virtually inconspicuous. The bird is polygamous with an average of five females per “family.”
2. Violet-tailed Sylph Aglaiocercus.
The violet-tailed sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis) is a stunningly beautiful species of hummingbird in South America. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador. This solitary bird typically remains low inside forest areas, close to small clumps of flowers.
3. Livingstone's Turaco
The Livingstone's Turaco (Tauraco livingstonii) is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family (literally “banana-eaters”). Despite the name, they generally do not eat bananas. It is found in Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
4. Wilson’s bird-of-paradise
Wilson’s bird-of-paradise (Cicinnurus respublica) is a species of passerine bird of the Paradisaeidae family. It is easy to recognize with it’s curly tail feathers and unique coloring. The turquoise crown of the male is actually a patch of bare skin, not feathers. It is distributed to the hill and lowland rainforests of Waigeo and Batanta Islands off West Papua, Indonesia.
5. Spatuletail
The marvellous spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) found only in the forest edges of a remote valley in northern Peru, is listed as an endangered threatened Species. It is a medium-sized (up to 15 cm long) white, green and bronze hummingbird adorned with blue crest feathers, a brilliant turquoise gorget, and a black line on its white underparts. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Loddigesia. It is sexually dimorphic.
6. Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock.
The fruit-eating, Guianan Cock-of-the rock is a wonderful rare bird with stunning orange plumage and conspicuous rounded crest. In Brazil, the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock is known as the galo-da-serra, through its dependence on huge boulders and rocky caves for breeding. This is a species of South American passerine and is found in tropical rainforests.
7. Resplendent Quetzal.
The Resplendent Quetzal is a bird in the trogon family. It is found from Guatemala to western Panama. Many people believe these are the most beautiful birds in the world. They are the national bird of Guatemala, and name to the Guatemalan currency. During mating season, male quetzals grow twin tail feathers that form an amazing train up to three feet (one meter) long.
8. Curl-Crested Aracari
The Curl-crested Aracari is a member of the toucan family and gets its name from the extraordinary glossy feathers on it’s head that are curled up like ribbons on a gift. It is found in Central and southern Brazil, eastern Peru & northern Bolivia. Their life expectancy is about 18yrs.
9. King of Saxony Bird-of-Paradise
The King of Saxony Bird of Paradise (Pteridophora alberti) is a bird in the bird-of-paradise family. It is distributed from the Weyland Mountains in Western New Guinea to the Krathe Range in Papua New Guinea, where the bird is sometimes known as "Kisaba" by the natives of as a human interpretation of the male's loud call. The ornamental head plumes on the males are so bizarre that when the first specimen was brought to Europe, people believed it to be fake!
10. Kea
These large parrots known for their intelligent and inquisitive nature are the only truly alpine parrots in the world and are found on the south island of New Zealand. Kea gained early notoriety among settler farmers for attacks on their sheep.
11. Tui
Tui, the popular mountain song-birds uniquely found in New Zealand are one of our prettiest birds with its metallic
blue-green coat and its white neckpiece and yet is one of the most aggressive birds. The Tui has two voice-boxes and this allows them to produce an incredibly varied song that combines clicks, barks, cackles and wheezes. They are one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family.
blue-green coat and its white neckpiece and yet is one of the most aggressive birds. The Tui has two voice-boxes and this allows them to produce an incredibly varied song that combines clicks, barks, cackles and wheezes. They are one of the largest members of the diverse honeyeater family.
12. Mandarin Duck
Native to Eastern Siberia, China and Japan, the Mandarin Duck is without a doubt, the most beautiful of all ducks. A Chinese proverb for loving couples uses the Mandarin Duck as a metaphor: "Two mandarin ducks playing in water". The birds are frequently featured in Oriental art and are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity. The species is now endangered because of large-scale exports and the destruction of its forest habitat.
13. Turquoise-browed Motmot
The colourful Turquoise-browed Motmots aren’t born with their signature racket-tipped tails. The feathers are weakly attached and shed away easily after development. They are commonly distributed in Central America from south-east Mexico to Costa Rica and are chosen as the national bird of both El Salvador and Nicaragua.
14. Royal Flycatcher
Typically found in the wilds of Central and South America, there are 4 separate species of royal flycatchers all with the “royal crown” which is generally only on display during courtship rituals and in competition with other males over breeding or territory. The part of the name “royal” is in reference to the fantastic feather display on the crown of the animal's head. Usually the crest is lying flat but opens up like a fan.
15. Spix Macaw
The beautiful, rare & wild-born Spix's Macaw is believed to have inspired the animated movie Rio! It is also known as the little blue Macaw and is native to Brazil. The IUCN regard the as critically endangered and possibly extinct in the wild. Its last known stronghold in the wild was in northeastern Bahia, Brazil and the last known wild bird was a male that vanished in 2000. The species is now maintained through a captive breeding program at several conservation organizations under the aegis of the Brazilian government.