The crest of a bird is a collection of feathers on its head that is utilized in pairing and communication, and it is sometimes referred to as a crown. Like a Grey Crowned Crane, a bird’s crest might be spectacular and huge, or it might be tiny and tufted like a Blue Jay.
When birds are threatened or excited, they may use their crests to attract a mate and communicate. They may display their crests in a variety of ways, from laying flat to displaying them constantly.
Certain birds, such as Great-crested Grebes, only have their crests during breeding season and then lose them when they molt.
A great variety of magnificent crests, both huge and little, may be seen on many birds.
Indian Peafowl
In the wild, peacocks dwell in woodlands and forests, but they are adaptable to a variety of settings and cages. In India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, as well as the Congo Basin, they live in the wild.
These brightly plumaged birds spend the majority of their time searching for food on the ground, but it is a treat to watch them gracefully fly.
During mating tail displays, the peacock’s crest is thought to be able to pick up vibrations.
Northern Lapwing
Waders that live in Europe and Siberia are known as northern lapwings. From North Africa and southern Asia to northern Europe and Siberia, they migrate across large distances.
The crests of male Northern Lapwings are larger than those of females and juvenile birds. They’re also known as peewits since they make a pee-wit call.
Rock Hopper Penguin
In the southern Atlantic and South America, the southern Indian Ocean, and around New Zealand, Rockhopper Penguins are little penguins that live in cold regions on islands.
Baby Rockhopper Penguins don’t develop crests; they develop as they grow older, so they have the most dramatic crest of any penguin.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The feathers on the head of a queen Victoria pigeon create an exquisite show-stopping crest. New Guinea, which is north of Australia, is home to these big-haired birds.
Queen Victoria, the British queen, was given this bird’s hair because it is so beautiful.
Eurasian Hoopoe
The crown of feathers on the head of Eurasian Hoopoes, which can be raised in a spectacular display, is stunning. The huge head show is highlighted by the black tips on the head feathers.
There are nine subspecies of Eurasian Hoopoes that live in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Hoopoe beaks are lengthy, robust, and serrated, and their muscles are particularly robust to enable them to open their bill while in the dirt.
Hoopoes have a nasty personality, especially when it comes to fights. They stab each other with their beaks, blinding rivals in the process. To protect the chicks and nests from predators, females and immature Hoopoes produce an unpleasant-smelling fluid.
Silver Pheasant
The males Silver Pheasant have white feathers that extend down their backs and into their long tails, giving them the appearance of long hair flowing down. A black crest and crimson exposed flesh create a wattle on their cheeks.
In South East Asia and China, they dwell in the forests.
Blue Jay
Blue Jays, with their blue upright crest, blue and black backs, and white underbellies, are a common large songbird. In many US states, they are a common backyard bird.
When acorns are available, they are boisterous birds that live in family groups. They are mostly resident, but may move along the Great Lakes and Atlantic coasts in large flocks from their far northwest corner of the United States.
Stellar’s Jay
Steller’s Jays are huge songbirds with prominent black triangular crests that protrude from their skulls. Their bodies are blue, with the remainder of their heads and chests being black.
They may be discovered near picnic tables in evergreen woodlands in the highlands.
Insects, seeds, nuts, berries, eggs, and nestlings are among the foods that Stellar’s Jays consume when they can forage for them. They make a nuisance of themselves around garbage and your unprotected picnic! Feeders in the yard and at campsites They build mud nests for their eggs.
Grey Crowned Crane
Eastern and southern Africa are home to these towering birds with spiky hair. They weigh 7.7 pounds (3.5 kg) and are over 3 feet tall (1m).
The bird’s harsh black, white, and red faces are framed by stiff hair-like feathers on the head.
Long grey feathers that flow down their bodies and resemble hair are also present.
Northern Cardinal
A stunning sight, especially against a white winter backdrop, is the bright red male Northern Cardinal with black around their faces. With their brown coloration, pointed brown crest, red highlights, and red beaks, the females are also a little showy. In North America, they’re a widespread backyard bird.
During breeding season, Northern Cardinals will occasionally attack their own image, which they are obsessively defending.
Palm Cockatoo
A huge black mohawk and red face patches distinguish the Palm Cockatoo. In Australia, and arguably throughout the world, it is the biggest cockatoo. One of the most prominent beaks in the parrot family is theirs.
They may be as thick as 1 inch (3 cm) and use their enormous beak to smash huge branches for a drumming performance.
Crested Duck
These birds seem to have just come out of a hair salon, with their haired on top of their heads.
This duck’s skull deformity might be lethal if the crest is not removed.
Due to its unusual head feathers, this duck was originally from the East Indies and was brought back to Europe.
The crest is a genetic mutation that is not always passed on, so not all chicks born to Crested Ducks will have it.
Red-crested Turaco
These birds reside in Africa and have crimson head feathers. They’re big and sound like a monkey.
The trees are decorated with flocks of up to 30 red-haired birds.
Against the green body, the red head feathers stand out at a height of 2 inches (5 cm).
Bare-faced Go Away Bird
In contrast to their bare black faces, this species of turaco has a huge mohawk. These are loud birds with lengthy tails who reside in Africa.
The loud ‘go away’ call they make is what gives them their name. In contrast to other turacos, the Bare-faced Go-Away Bird is rather drab.
Pileated Woodpecker
Being nearly the size of a crow, Pileated Woodpeckers are one of the world’s largest woodpeckers. With a crimson mohawk and white streaks, it’s mostly black. The white bottom of the wings can be seen while flying. On the cheek of males, there is a crimson stripe.
The majority of pileated woodpeckers live in the eastern United States, although they may be found as far west as Canada and California.
Polish Chicken
This quirky-haired hen is just too cool to resist. They have such long hair that it affects their vision and makes them seem to need a shave!
Bearded, non-bearded, and frizzle are the three types of beards. They’re usually viewed as exhibition birds, although they lay well.
Cockatiel
A yellow Mohawk cockatoo from Australia, a little species of cockatoo. The crest of this popular pet bird is used to indicate when it is delighted or terrified.
In the wild, they’re grey, but in captivity, there are 22 distinct colors. They may survive in captivity for up to 25 years, although one individual lived for 36 years.
Himalayan Monal
In the Himalayan forests, a giant pheasant lives. Himalayan Monals range in weight from 76 oz to 84 oz (2150g to 2380g) and are about 28 inches (70 cm) long.
Males have long metallic green crests and are bright multicolored birds. Females lack the crest and are generally brown.
Their crest feathers were once used to adorn men’s hats, but this practice has been outlawed recently.
Secretary Bird
The secretary bird, a gigantic African raptor, may reach heights of up to 4ft 3in (1.3 m). Long black crest feathers and extremely long legs characterize them.
The crests of males are larger and the tail feathers are longer than those of females. They chase insects, small mammals, lizards, and snakes on the ground for the majority of their lives, using their long legs.
Red-Whiskered Bulbul
After escaping from an aviary in Miami, this bird with a spikey crest is now found in the United States.
The red-whiskered bulbul eats fruits and insects in flocks.
Smew
This male duck’s crest has a sophisticated tufted white hair look. They reside in Europe and feed on fish.
They construct their nests in trees, using old woodpecker nests.
Demoiselle Crane
Long hair flows from the eye down over the slim necks of Demoiselle Cranes, which have long hair.
Cranes native to Eurasia are the Demoiselle Crane, which is the tiniest species.
During their Migration, these cranes must fly across the world’s highest mountain range, the Himalayas.
During breeding season, they put on a fantastic dancing show.
Great Crested Flycatcher
Little brown birds with yellow bellies and gray throats, Great Crested Flycatchers are a little species. Wing and tail feathers have a reddish tint to them. It’s not clear what the crest is.
Great Crested Flycatchers spend the winter in southern Florida, southern Mexico, and Central America, breeding across much of Eastern North America.
Large insects flying such as butterflies, grasshoppers, moths, wasps, and spiders are waiting for them up high in the woods.
Crested Partridge
The Crested Partridge is a stunning bird with crimson hair, and their crimson exposed skin around the eyes is extremely unusual.
They search for insects in the leaf litter in Southeast Asia, where they dwell.
Great Curassow
The heads of large birds are covered in long crest feathers. The brilliant yellow beak frames these birds’ head feathers, which stand up in a fan shape.
Great Curassows live in groups of ten or more and mostly forage on the ground, although roosting at night in the trees. They are native to Mexico and Central America.
They may be hostile to humans and may live for a minimum of 24 years.
The IUCN Red List classifies them as Vulnerable.
Tufted Titmouse
With a lovely gray crest and huge eyes that often associate with chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers, the Tufted Titmouse is a gray bird with white underneath.
All year, Tufted Titmice can be found in the Eastern and Southeastern US.
Woodlands, parks, and at backyard feeders are all home to Tufted Titmice, who may be demanding with smaller birds. In the summer, they consume mostly caterpillars, beetles, ants, and wasps; as well as spiders and snails. They’ll also consume shelling seeds and eat nuts and berries.
Crested Caracara
In open regions of Central and South America, Crested Caracara frequently walk on the ground or perch on lone trees. They are falcons, and they may often be found at carcasses alongside vultures.
With a shaggy crest and orange skin around their beaks, they are medium-sized raptors.
White-crested helmetshrike
The White-crested Helmetshrike’s spiky white crest contrasts with the brilliant yellow eye wattle.
They feed on insects in the woods, where they live in Africa.
Great Crested Grebe
In the summer, it has fan-like head feathers and is Europe’s largest grebe. When the bird rises out of the water and shakes their head, the head feathers are used in courtship displays.
In the United Kingdom, their head feathers were used in ladies’ hats, and they were hunted to extinction.
The Great-crested Grebe’s head feathers become less dramatic and devoid of the mane-like appearance during the winter.
Harpy Eagle
The Harpy Eagle is a rare and beautiful sight, and it is frequently cited as the world’s largest eagle. The Harpy eagle is sometimes regarded as the world’s biggest eagle, alongside the Philippine and Steller’s eagles.
The Harpy Eagle, a magnificent and unusual sight, is frequently referenced as the world’s largest eagle. The Harpy eagle is often referred to as the world’s largest eagle, alongside the Philippine and Steller’s eagles.
With long dark gray crest feathers on their heads that stand up when they are threatened, Harpy Eagles are very distinctive.
The long, dark gray crest feathers on Harpy Eagles’ heads rise up when they are threatened, making them very easy to recognize.
To learn more about these fascinating birds, check out these amazing Harpy Eagle Facts.
Learn more about these unusual birds by reading these fascinating Harpy Eagle Facts.
Crested Barbet
The Crested Barbet is a bright African bird with a yellow head and a black crest. Insects, eggs, and mice are among the foods they consume.
They frequently nest in gardens, holes in trees or logs. They may chase away other nesting birds, such as doves and thrushes, and be aggressive to other birds in their area.
Crested Auklet
By the Bering Sea, a social seabird that breeds in colonies of up to 1 million. Sexual selection is thought to have produced their forehead crest and a fragrance similar to citrus fruit.
Crest feathers, which curve forward over the face and stubby orange beak, are usually around 12 in number.
Crested Kingfisher
With a black and white scruffy crest, this large kingfisher from southern Asia. They dig a hole with their feet and beaks in vertical banks in forests, where they lay 16–17 inches (41–43 cm) long nests.
Rufous-crested-coquette
The Rufous-crested-coquette, a South American crested hummingbird, is difficult to observe since it is so tiny. They’re barely 2 to 2.5 inches (6 to 7 mm) long.
They feed on nectar-producing plants in large swaths of open land.
Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
The yellow highlights on the wing and tail of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo are matched by a yellow crest.
Because of their destructive habits on crops and timber on houses and buildings, they may be considered pests in Australia and New Guinea.
They’re superintelligent birds that can live for a long time.
Dalmation Pelican
The world’s biggest pelican features shaggy hair that gives it an untamed look.
They may have a wingspan of over 11 feet (350 cm) and be 5 to 6 feet (160 to 180 cm) long.
They feed on freshwater fish in lakes and rivers in central Eurasia.
Royal Flycatcher
The bright red and blue-tipped fanned crest of this mostly brown flycatcher is concealed. This magnificent hairstyle is often veiled until the courting and breeding season.
They are found throughout Central and South America.
Curl-crested aracari
The Amazon is home to this curly-haired toucan cousin. Fruit is their primary food, but they have also been known to eat nestlings of other birds.
These birds are active and lively, and they’re often kept as pets.
Guianan cock-of-the-rock
South American orange-haired birds that create nests on rocky cliffs. Against the dark body, their vivid fan crests and heads stand out.
Great Blue Turaco
The Great Blue Turaco, which grows to be around 30 inches long (75 cm) and has spiky hair, is the biggest Turaco species. On their crown, they display a majestic crest that stands proudly upright.
They’re hunted for meat and their feathers and live in Africa’s Congo.
Tufted Puffin
During the mating season, this bird’s white face mask and flowing hair are a sight to see along the northern states and Alaska’s coasts.
In coastal regions, up to 3 million birds breed in deep burrows.
Red-legged Seriema
Red-legged Seriema has a long spiky crest over their beak, and they are used as guard animals by farmers in South America to protect hens from predators.
When they are frightened, they emit loud calls and charge toward their adversary, attacking with their claws and beak.
Golden Pheasant
The long tail and fanning feathers of a golden-haired bird from China give it the appearance of a cape down its neck. Its back is covered with a lengthy crest.
They lurk in the woods, blending in with their vivid hues. They’re difficult to spot.
White-crested Laughingthrush
This ten-inch (30-cm) bird with a white crest is found in Southeast Asia. They prefer to dwell in thickly shaded areas, hidden from predators, on higher ground near the foot of mountains.
Their name comes from their frequent, loud chorus calls.