11 Exotic Birds With Unusual Characteristics (Photos)

1. Bee-Eaters

There are about 25 species of bee-eaters found in the subtropical regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Australasia. They get their name, not surprisingly, because they eat bees, wasps, and other flying insects. To remove the stinger and the venom, the birds violently whack the insect on a hard surface like a rock face.  They are then safe to eat.

 

2. Macaw

The common name for some 16-18 species of parrots native to Mexico, Central America, South America, is macaw. They are one of the most elaborately colored and beautiful parrots in the world. Male and female macaws look alike, which is uncommon among vividly colored birds, where usually the male is more vibrant.

Macaws are special in that they can tolerate toxic plants that humans can’t—then they eat clay to detoxify their bodies. They commonly eat hard-shelled seeds and nuts, which they break open using their tough, curved beaks. The beak also serves as a third foot that helps them to climb trees while searching for food.

Macaws are loved as pets around the world because they are easily tamed, and some can mimic human speech and even sing songs. On the downside, they can be quite noisy and occasionally bite people with their powerful beaks.

 

 3. Malachite Kingfisher

KIngfishers are well known for their fishing skills and this is the reason why...

Kingfisher have amazing binocular vision and excellent color vision. They don’t move their heads to track down prey. They only move their eyes which swivel inside their sockets. Most helpful, Kingfishers are able to compensate for refraction and reflection of the water to easily see fish below the water’s surface. They are also able to judge depth of water accurately and they have special protective skin that cover their eyes when they plunge into the water to catch prey. 

 

 4. Quetzal

The quetzal’s range covers Mexico to Bolivia. It was the sacred bird of the ancient Mayans and the Aztecs and today it’s national emblem of Guatemala. You can find it on Guatemalan currency. 

During the mating season, the male grows a vibrant twin tail made of 12 feathers, which females don’t have. The quetzal’s wings are rounded and they have short legs and weak feet since their second toe point rearward.

 

5. Nicobar Pigeon 

This species of pigeon is found in Nicobar Island. They are the closest living relative of the extinct dodo bird. Their special feature is a muscle in their neck that allows them to suck water rather than sip it. Nicobar pigeons mate for life.

 

 6. Golden Pheasant

The golden pheasant is found primarily in China, lives in bamboo and scrub forests and on the rocky hills. The birds were also brought to the U.K. and elsewhere for hunting, although the now feral populations have mixed with local varieties. The brilliant coloring of the males (females are rather dull) is susceptible to bleaching in the sun, but under normal circumstances the shaded forest offers protection.

 

7. Mandarin Duck

Mandarin ducks, found in  found in eastern Russia, China, Korea, and Japan, are closely related to the North American Wood Duck. They have long claws and when not in water, are found in trees. They feed on aquatic plants, seeds, acorns, grains, insects, and small fish. Fortunately for them, they are not hunted by humans since their meat isn’t very tasty.

Pairs of Mandarin ducks—living ducks or wood replicas—are given at weddings in South Korea and China as a symbol of  happiness and fidelity. Unlike most other waterfowl, Mandarins mate for life. Called Yuan-Yang in Chinese, the ducks are commonly seen in oriental art symbolizing affection and fidelity. Loving couples in Chinese proverb are described as “Two Mandarin ducks playing in water.”

 

8. Green Jay

Green Jays are native to Mexico and South America, but their habitat also stretches some 900 miles into southern Texas. Green jays have head coloring like their more popular cousin the Blue Jay, but the rest of the bodies are yellow and green.  The Green Jay’s specialty is using twigs as tools to dig out insects from tree bark. 

Green Jay is actually classified as a Eurasian jay, although most Eurasian jays have dull feather coloring, making the Green Jay a brilliant exception. 

 

9. Himalayan Monal

Monals are part of a pheasant family. They have similar features to the pheasant, including their large size—Monals can grow to 27.5  inches (70 cm). They are known by a variety of names including Danphe, Impeyan pheasant, and Impeyan monal. The Himalayan Monal is the national bird of Nepal.

Male Monals have the duty of guarding the nest for 27 days while the eggs incubate and finally hatch. Baby chicks will stay close to the nest for 6 months then leave to find a mate of their own. Monals are also known for being especially communicative, using calls and gestures to show contentment, aggression, alarm, and being ready for a mate. 

 

10. Hoatzin

This chicken-sized bird lives in Amazon and Orinoco river basins. The young Hoatzin has two large claws on each wing, leading some scientist to  link them to a Archaeopteryx—a dinosaur era bird.

Hoatzin is the only bird that has a digestive system similar to a cow in that they have a multi-chambered stomach where bacterial fermentation takes place. This allows them to eat a variety of plant matter including fruit and leaves. They are unable to fly far, and will usually perch on a branch to digest their food. Their breastbone helps to maintain balance when their bellies are full of food.

If youngsters are threatened, they can jump from their nests into the river, since their nests are built over the water. They can swim then using the claws on their wings, they will climb back into their nest.

Hoatzins are also unusual because they have feet with three toes forward and one behind. Fossils evidence shows they may have been around for over 36 million years and have lived in Colombia for over 20 million years.

 

11. White Peacock

 

“Peacock” in fact, just refers to the male bird, while “peahen” refers to the female. Collectively they are called “peafowl,” despite that most people just use peacock for females too. The two most common peafowl species are the blue peacock native to India (India’s national bird) and Sri Lanka, and the green peacock found in Java (main Island of Indonesia) and Burma. A less familiar species, the Congo peacock, lives in rain forests in Africa.

White Peacocks are especially prized. They are often mistakenly thought to be an albino bird, but they are actually a mutation of the Indian blue peacock.  

The peacock attracts the peahen by opening its long trail of tail feathers like a fan that consists of more than 50 feathers and makes up some 60 percent of the bird’s body. Peacocks also have spurs on their heels to protect themselves from predators. 

During medieval times they were cooked and served to kings. 

 

All photos via Shutterstock: Bee-eater, King Fisher, Macaw, Quetzal, Nicobar Pigeon, Golden Pheasant, Mandarin Duck, Green Jay, Himalayan Monal, Hoatzin, White Peacock