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Bird Beaks You Can’t Believe are Real!
From humongous hornbills … to super-sized storks ... Here are 20 bird beaks you can’t believe are real!
#20 Rhinoceros Hornbill
Hornbills get their name from the structure on their bills called a casque (kask). And many people say this variety is the most impressive. Similar in size to a swan, it’s one of the largest hornbills. The hollow casque takes about five years to develop, and may serve several purposes. Experts think it might amplify the bird’s calls, and it could play a role in courtship and other social functions. They inhabit mountain rainforests with a range extending from Borneo to Thailand.
#19 Kakapo
This rare bird is endemic to New Zealand. And although you might not immediately guess so, the Kakapo is actually the world’s only flightless and nocturnal species of parrot. Weighing up to 9 pounds (4 kg), they’re also the heaviest parrot species. Something else that sets them apart is their whiskered beak. Those are actually delicate feathers which are similar to whiskers found on mammals. Since the birds walk with their heads lowered, the feathers may help them to sense the ground.
#18 Red Crossbill
The construction of this bird’s beak almost appears like a deformity. But their common name refers to an adaptation which allows the animals to feast on their favorite food. Their mandibles have crossed tips which enable them to extract seeds from pine cones. When the bird bites down on the cone, it forces the seeds out of the shell. Ornithologists still haven’t figured out why or how the adaptation occurs.
#17 Atlantic Puffins
At first glance, this bird almost looks like a penguin with the legs and webbed feet of a duck. It’s really a species of Puffin that is native to the Atlantic Ocean, hence the common name. They’re sturdily built critters, with thick necks and short wings. The color of its distinctive beak has colors ranging from orange-red at the tip to slate grey nearer to the head. It’s a cold-water animal that breeds in countries including Iceland, Greenland, and Norway.
#16 Long-billed Curlews
This shorebird gets its common name for obvious reasons. The long bill can measure more than 8.5 inches (22 cm) and is adapted for catching small crustaceans living deep in tidal mudflats. The birds can also use the bill for plucking earthworms and insects out of pastures. Females are larger than males, and that size differential applies to the downward-curving bills as well.
#15 Toco Toucan
Many of us associate this bird with Toucan Sam, the mascot for Fruit Loops cereal. So the species is very familiar. But the Toco Toucan still deserves a mention for its extraordinarily huge bill. Its length can exceed 9 inches (23 cm). And although it appears heavy, it's mostly hollow. The bill can account for nearly half of the Toucan’s body surface area. It serves various functions including peeling fruit and providing a visual warning to intruders.
