![]() ![]() Measuring about 4 inches wide and nearly 9 inches long, the shoebill’s clodhopper bill is a pale yellow with slashes of gray markings on it.Īt the end of this razor-sharp beak is a hook-shaped nail that allows the shoebill to decapitate its prey, which is usually lungfish but also includes water snakes, baby crocodiles, small waterfowl, lizards and rodents. Standing tall (nearly 5 feet) on long, spindly legs, this prehistoric-looking stork is mostly slate-gray with big, round yellow eyes and a tuft of feathers on the back of its head.īut, the most striking feature is the massive bill that resembles a wooden clog shoe. They may be ugly… but they are also kind of adorable. However, that doesn’t stop the shoebill from being one of the most popular birds on the must-see list for birdwatchers in Central-Eastern Africa. You can’t expect a bird to win a beauty pageant when its face is attached to a giant bill resembling a clog shoe. Diet: Lungfish, water snakes, baby crocodiles, lizards, rodents and waterfowl.Where they are found: Central-Eastern Africa. ![]() Unique ugly feature: Large, shoe-shaped beak.This may seem like a strange habit, but it protects the chicks from predators. Once the chicks are ready to fledge, the adults break open the seal. Pairs work together to seal the female up inside a tree cavity with mud, fruit pulp, and feces, leaving a hole only large enough for the male to transfer regurgitated food to her as she incubates up to six eggs. Helmeted hornbills are monogamous birds which have a peculiar breeding habit. This is largely due to the many hunters out trying to kill the birds for their casques (made of solid keratin) that are sold for big bucks to carvers and handicraft makers. The female is similar to the male except that her throat patch is pale blue or green.įound in the lowland rainforests of Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula, the helmeted hornbill is a critically endangered (very near extinction) species. If you can get past this hornbill’s fearsome features, you’ll notice that it also has black plumage with a white belly and legs as well as a black and white tail. The second scary feature is the bald, red throat that looks like it has been plucked of feathers. Not only is the casque shaped like headgear, but the male hornbill even uses it to joust and head-bang with other males when fighting over territory or figs, their favorite food. Unlike other hornbills, this bird’s casque is solid rather than hollow, and combined with the skull, makes up for around 10% of the bird’s weight. The first is the most notable feature, the “casque,” which is the helmet-shaped structure above the bill. Two characteristics give the helmeted hornbill its intimidating appearance. Should this hornbill’s appearance not startle you at first, its maniacal cackle will most certainly stop you in your tracks. One look at the helmeted hornbill and you may readily accept the Punan myth that this bird guards the river that flows between life and death. Diet: Fruits (especially figs) and insects.Where they are found: Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.Unique ugly feature: Helmet-like casque on the bill.Want to know about some of the ugliest birds in the world? Check out the following top picks: 1. This post is meant solely for entertainment and to introduce you to some amazing creatures… so please don’t roast me :). I have trouble identifying any creature as truly “ugly,” they all have a beauty that is unique. They are still beautiful creatures that need to be protected. But, no matter how they look, birds fascinate us.īefore we get into it, I just want to say that even though these birds are “scary” and “ugly,” they all have a charm to them. Then, there are birds that just look plain scary. Birds that have weird features like warty faces and long, dangly wattles. There are beautiful birds, and then there are some… straight up ugly birds.
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