Most beautiful birds in the world: Top 10 avian works of art
Nature has gifted the world with over 10000 species of birds. These vertebrate animals are the most unique and gorgeous creatures on earth. Birds epitomise beauty and splendour with their beaks, shapes, feathers, colours and grace. Narrowing down to only 10 is a challenge, but here are the most beautiful birds on the planet.
Source: UGC
Birds come in all shapes, sizes and colours, making them beautiful. This makes it a task to choose a few in the beauty contest. However, there are birds with unique, striking features that are hard to ignore.
Top 10 most beautiful birds in the world
Whether it's their brilliant colours, intricate patterns, or graceful movements, these birds have captured the hearts of people all over the globe. Below are the top 10 most beautiful birds on earth in no particular order.
1. Scarlet macaw
Source: UGC
The scarlet macaw is the most beautiful bird in the world and belongs to the macaw family. The colourful plumage makes it stand out amongst other feathered friends. It has red feathers, a blue back, and a border of yellow and green in the upper wings. Its curved beak with a white and black tip is another unique feature.
The scarlet macaw is the wisest fowl in the world and is said to be a loud parrot. This bird has an average lifespan of 40-50 years and feed on nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects. Its home is in the wet evergreen woods in Central and South America.
2. Golden pheasant
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The golden pheasant would be a top contender if the beauty pageant for feathered friends were held. It has a gorgeous golden-yellow crest with a brilliant red tip. Its face and underparts are characterised by crimson colour. Its throat and side are reddish, while the upper back and wattle are green. Its long light brown tails and dark red shoulders add to its majesty.
The golden pheasant is primarily found in the forest areas of Central and Western China and is regarded as a great honour. Since the bird can't fly well, it's mainly found eating berries, seeds, and insects on the ground.
3. Wood duck
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The wood duck cannot miss the list of the most beautiful birds of the world. This gorgeously coloured male bird's head and crest are purple-green. It has a dark crimson chest and a white belly. It has cute thin white stripes at the neck and blue and black patterns on its wings.
The female wood duck is less colourful than the male. It has a white chest with brown spots white belly, and its head is grey and brown. This beautiful bird is found in swamps and marshes of North America. The fowl like to make its abode within manmade structures, making it an easy target for hunting by birdwatchers.
4. Flamingo
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The flamingo is among the coolest birds in the world. This bird is loved for its beauty and takes the trophy of the most recognised bird on the planet. The flamingo is found in all continents except Antarctica. In Africa, this bird can be found in the Rift Valley lakes in the east and South Africa.
This bird is so famous it is the national bird of the Bahamas. Their pink plumage is strikingly gorgeous, and the colour is dependent on diet. The brighter the colour, the better the diet. Its bent beak and long, slim neck make it unique and majestic.
5. Peacock
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The peacock is one of the most unique birds on the planet. This bird walks proudly, showcasing its majestic tantalising spread of tail feathers. It is also the most admired bird attracting royalty and aristocrats. The peacock comes in three species, the Indian, green fowl and Congo. The Indian is the most famous and has earned a place as the national bird of India.
The peacock's plume train of 150 coloured feathers is stunning. When the tail is open, an array of cute peacock eye spots is on display. The colours on the tail feather vary depending on the lighting. Peacocks can grow up to 5 feet long and is one of the largest bird that can fly.
6. Blue jay
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The blue jay is one of the smartest and prettiest birds in the world. It is the epitome of beauty with brains in the vertebrae kingdom. Birdwatchers looking for this beautiful bird should head to Eastern and Central North American woodlands. Its most outstanding feature is 'jay jay' calls which inspired its name. This bird can mimic other fowls and animal noises as well.
Its wit enables it to steal eggs and nestlings from other fowls. This is done by tricking them by imitating the hawk's sound. This bird usually lives in small groups, but during winter, it migrates in a large groups. Additionally, blue jay does not migrate yearly.
7. Bohemian waxwing
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The bohemian waxwing is one of the cool-looking birds with a medium-sized bird stature. Its head has a signature crested head and black mask. In most cases, it is greyish brown with cinnamon-hued under-tail plumage and yellow-tipped tails.
The red-coloured feather edges make it gorgeous. The bohemian is among the three waxwing species, cedar waxwing and Japanese waxwing. This bird takes the crown for the pretty birds in the waxing species.
The bohemian is larger than the cedar and rarer than the ceder and Japanese. And it is the prettiest one of the waxwing family. The fowl builds its nest on tree branches, and its high-pitched call is unique to both sexes. It can be found in the forests of North America, feeding on small insects and fruits.
8. Atlantic puffin
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The Atlantic puffin is one of the most striking seabirds in the world. The colouring of its plumage is almost like that the penguin species. This bird has been nicknamed the 'sea parro't due to its outstanding bill. Its feathers are water-repellant, and it can swim above and underwater.
To see the Atlantic puffin, visit the coast of eastern Canada and the northern USA. It feeds primarily on fish such as sand eels and capelins, and its massive beaks are handy. Its nest and breeding ground are made along the shore in summer and spring.
The female lays just one egg that hatches in a month and a half. The mother feeds the chicks small fish through its massive beak.
9. Keel-billed toucan
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The keel-billed toucan is among the rarest beautiful birds in the birding contest. It has the most outstanding bills, and its beak can grow to 20 cm long. Despite its length, the bill is light and hollow. The beak is multi-coloured in yellow, red, and green.
The body is black, with bright yellow feathers around the neck and chest area. Its face is a mix of green and yellow, and its under tail is brilliant red. The bright red under feathers in the tail region completes its distinctive but elegant look. Birdwatchers can spot this toucan in Central and South America's forests.
The keel-billed toucan mostly lives in naturally occurring holes in the forest or those made on trees by woodpeckers. The fowl makes a loud frog-like call and cannot fly well. Its main diet includes insects, lizards, and eggs.
10. Hyacinth macaw
Source: UGC
Hyacinth macaw is also known as the "blue macaw" due to its beautiful azure blue plumage with a yellow band around its eyes. It is in the parrot species, the biggest flying parrot with a length of 40 inches. Its wings spread to four feet, with magnificent cobalt blue feathers. Another unique feature is its arched black bill and long tail.
If you want a unique fowl pet, hyacinth macaw is the one it can be trained. To be comfortable, however, you must ensure you have enough space for it. It is unpredictable in behaviour, and they can be noisy when it is a group.
Unfortunately, this is one of the world's most endangered species. Currently, its population stands at about 5000, and thanks to hunting, this number is dwindling fast.
The world is blessed with about 10000 species of feathered friends. While every bird species has its own unique charm, some are simply breathtaking. From the vibrant plumage of the peacock to the iridescent feathers of the wood duck, the world is home to some of the most beautiful birds in the world.
READ ALSO: Most beautiful cities in Nigeria: 10 contenders for the title
Legit.ng recently published a post about beautiful cities in Nigeria. The West African nation is one of the largest economies in Africa. It has many cities with a diverse population in each. These cities are unique in terms of history, activities and climate. If you are wondering where to visit while in Nigeria, these are the country's most beautiful cities.
The beauty of a town is comprised of many features, such as the weather, the people and the geographical position. To know about a town or city, you have to visit and enjoy the people's infrastructure and culture. Nigeria has different towns that you can see and have a great time.
Source: Legit.ng
