From critters with blue and red feet ... to Hornbills and Shoebill storks ... Here are 18 Birds You Won't Believe Exist!

Subscribe to Epic Wildlife [ Ссылка ]

Let's Connect
-- [ Ссылка ]
-- [ Ссылка ]
-- [ Ссылка ]
-- [ Ссылка ]

#6 Sri Lanka Frogmouth
As their name would suggest, these birds are endemic to Sri Lanka, as well as the Western Ghats (gats) of south India. They’re nocturnal critters and are difficult to spot when resting on tree branches because they can resemble dried leaves. And they do have a somewhat frog like appearance. Experts say the birds will open their mouths wide as part of a threat display to ward off intruders.



#5 Shoebill
These big birds can appear cartoonish or scary, depending on your perspective. But there’s nothing funny about their dimensions. An average height exceeds 4.5 feet (137 cm) while they can weigh more than 15 pounds (7 kg). The distinctive bill goes about nine-inches long and is used for hunting and capturing prey like fish, snakes and larger lizards. After the prey is scooped up in the bill, it allows enough room for the victim to poke out its head. At which point the bird clamps shut its jaws and swallows it whole. When it comes to vocalizing, these birds tend to be the strong silent type. But they have been known to utter noises that sound like a cow’s moo. They’re distributed across freshwater swamps of tropical Central Africa, and appear in imagery from Ancient Egypt.









#4 Rhinoceros Hornbill
Similar in size to a swan, this is one of the largest hornbills, and is hunted for its feathers and meat. They’re known to live in captivity for around 90 years. But in the wild, they inhabit mountain rainforests, with a range that extends from Borneo to Thailand. Some have remarked that the coloration of that ‘rhino horn’ reminds them of the Toucan.






#3 Wilson’s Bird of Paradise
You can thank naturalist David Attenborough for introducing this bird to the world. The first footage of it appeared on one of his BBC documentaries in 1996. They’re endemic to the rainforests of Indonesia and measure about 6 inches (16 cm). Males of this species display some astonishing colors that play a role in mating rituals. They’re also known to perform elaborate mating dances in a ‘display court’ they create by clearing an area of the rainforest floor. That’s how Attenborough enticed one to appear on camera. When he dropped leaves on the forest floor, the irritated bird showed up to clear away the debris.




#2 Helmeted Hornbill
The scary appearance of this big bird is due largely to the large casque (kask), or helmet-like structure on its head. That casque is nearly solid, and can account for 11 percent of the animal’s total weight which is about 3 kg (6.8 pounds). Experts say that the males use those imposing structures to combat each other during mating season. They’re found in forested habitats ranging from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo.


1..

свернуть