Amazing bird species that you may have never even heard of.
Long-tailed Velvet Weaver
These South African birds get their name from their black color and very long tail, which develops like a ribbon in flight. The tail of males can reach 16 cm, which is twice the length of their body. Unlike males, females have a rather inconspicuous sandy-black color. Males, especially during the breeding season, attract attention with their beautiful plumage. 
Brilliant painted painter
During the breeding season, males are blue. At other times of the year, they are practically no different from females in their plumage. The upper part of the body becomes pale brown and the lower part white, but the tail and wings remain blue. As for the relationships between individuals of different sexes, they are very peculiar. Despite the fact that these birds are essentially monogamous and even form pairs, they are still promiscuous, mating with other individuals. At the same time, they assist in raising the chicks that appear as a result of such meetings. To attract the attention of a female, males tear bright flower petals and show them to the females. 
Royal flyeater
There are 4 species of the royal flyeater, and each of them has a crest that resembles a fan: a kind of “crown”, which, however, can only be noticed during the period of courtship of a female and during competition with other males. 
Scaly bird of paradise
They live in the forests of New Guinea. When this bird species was first introduced to Europe, people thought they weren't real. It's all about the unusual feathers that decorate the heads of males. These birds are solitary by nature and never form pairs. Thus, the raising of the chicks occurs without any participation from the male. 
Quetzal
Many people believe that these are the most beautiful birds in the world. The quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala, and even the currency in this country is named after it. Once upon a time, the Mayan Indians worshiped this bird, considering it sacred. Their feathers were practically priceless, and only leaders and priests were allowed to wear them as decoration. 
Lilac-breasted Roller
This bird got its name for its impressive courtship of the female in flight, during which the male, having risen to a considerable height, circles, rushes into the water at high speed, while making loud sounds. They live in savannas and farmlands in eastern and southern Africa. 
Inca tern
These stunning wattled seabirds nest on the rocky coasts of Chile and Peru. It is interesting that the Inca tern, having a rather expressive appearance, is also distinguished by its singing. Birds make sounds that resemble a cat's meow. These representatives of the tern family feed on fish. They are endangered. 
Curly-haired arasari
This bird belongs to the toucan family and gets its name from the feathers on its head. They are twirled like ribbons on a wrapped gift. 
Blue-capped Tanager
There are three subspecies of these birds, which differ primarily in the plumage in the neck and head. They live in lowland areas of tropical forests in eastern South America. They usually live in pairs or groups. Their diet includes fruits, however, when there is not enough fruit, they will not miss the opportunity to feast on insects. 
Blue-headed magnificent bird of paradise
This is another magnificent bird that can be easily identified by its curling tail feathers and unique coloring. The turquoise “crown” on the male’s head is not actually feathers, but a patch of bare skin. 
Guiana cock of the rock
The wreath in the form of a semicircle on the head of these birds is formed by two rows of feathers. It always remains visible and does not disappear after the mating season, as often happens in other bird species. 
Lilac-capped painted painter
Their singing differs from the singing of other fairies because it sounds at lower frequencies and is performed, as a rule, in a duet. 
Livingston's turaco
These birds belong to the turakov family, which literally means “banana eaters.” Despite this name, they do not eat bananas. 
Shiny Cotinga
This species of bird with a bright turquoise-blue color lives in the Amazon rainforest. They are usually quiet unless disturbed by predators. But, as is usually the case in the world of birds, the females are less fortunate: they have a gray-brown color with dark spots. 
Bare-throated bell-ringer
The bare-throated bellbird lives in the Atlantic Forest of South America and has one of the loudest voices. 
Indian Hornbill
This bird is easy to recognize thanks to the peculiar “helmet” on its beak. The indigenous tribes of central India believed that the skull of a hornbill brought wealth. 
Collared Trogon
This species of trogon can be found on the island of Borneo. They live in pairs or alone, and nest in tree hollows. Interesting fact: Collared Trogons have a habit of sitting motionless for long periods of time, only darting off to grab an insect or pick a berry. They are endangered. 
Momot blue-browed
Momots live in Central America. They are not born with the racquets that characterize their family. The feathers are loosely attached to the body and fall off as they mature. 
Malaysian blue-tailed pita
This is one of three species of blue-tailed pittas, which were previously classified as a single species. However, they were separated due to external and vocal differences. 
Red-billed Alcyone
Alcyone builds nests in tunnels on steep river banks and road edges, digging holes 50 cm deep. Insects, rodents, fish, snails and even songbirds serve as food sources. 
Little Sultana
You can meet the Sultana in the southeastern United States, in the central and northern parts of South America. This bird species lives in swamps with dense vegetation. 
Magnificent astrapia
It is one of 41 species of birds of paradise that can only be found in the mountains of New Guinea. 
Kea
The world's only mountain parrots can be found on the south island of New Zealand. These large birds are known for their intelligence and curiosity. 
South American night heron
You can easily recognize the South American night heron by its white plumage, black cap on its head and bright blue beak. However, you are unlikely to hear them, since their screams are very quiet. 
Filamentous bird of paradise
These birds live on the eastern and western coasts of New Guinea and the island of Salavati, where they settle mainly in mountainous areas, living in families or flocks. To attract a mate, males dance and groom with their 12 wire-like side feathers. They feed on the sap of flowers, such as the sago palm or pizang. 
Horned Hummingbird
Hummingbirds of this species can be found in South America. Only males have a bright “horn” that shimmers in different colors. 
Red-bearded bee-eater
These birds live in southeast Asia. They catch bees and other insects on the fly. By hitting the insect on a hard surface several times in a row, they get rid of the sting. This allows you to remove almost all the poison. Red-bearded bee-eaters nest in burrows on the slopes of sandy shores and, unlike other species of bee-eaters, do not live in colonies. 
On April 1, our country celebrates International Bird Day. Interestingly, Russia is the habitat of many of them, including very rare ones. In our country, the rarest birds are protected by the state and are listed in the Red Book. Some of them live in game reserves and nature reserves. In this article we will look at 10 endangered bird species.
This is one of the largest owls in the world, with a wingspan of up to 190 centimeters. In recent years, its population in our country has been declining sharply.
These rare bird species are predators. Eagle owls hunt snails and small rodents at night. They can also hunt small birds, although they prefer immobile prey. It is noteworthy that each representative of this species has its own territory where it gets its food.
Eagle owls are excellent and are used for catching rabbits, partridges and even hares. But for the hunter it is great luck to find this bird. In addition, the eagle owl can pose a danger to the person himself.
These are very rare birds from the Red Book of Russia. The small swan lives only in our country; it is one of the rarest birds in the world. He settles on Vaygach, in the tundra, and also on Novaya Zemlya. The bird has a wingspan of up to 195 cm. An amazing feature of the small swan is its black beak, as well as white plumage. Birds feed on plants, eating grass, berries, and potato tubers. But sometimes they can catch small fish.
At 3 years old, swans form pairs that last their entire lives. They build nests in the spring on dry small elevations; some nests, which remain after the pair, can be used by other swans for several years.
This is a very rare bird, listed in the Red Books of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. He lives in forests in the Far East and the Urals. Most birds live in the Primorsky Territory of our country. Since this is a very secretive rare bird, it is not known for sure whether it will fly to some other region from here or not - their way of life is very poorly studied. The black stork prefers to settle near lakes and swamps on the plains. Birds eat fish by catching them in water bodies, and during the wintering period they can also feed on small rodents.
Surprisingly, they choose a partner for life. They begin to reproduce at three years of age. Nests are built on rocks or the tops of old trees, away from people. Storks feed their young 5 times a day. The chicks fly away from their nest in the third month.
This is a small duck with a characteristic orange color. She lives in the East Asian region, mainly in the Sakhalin region, on the Amur, etc.
Mandarin ducks choose mountain rivers to live because they float and swim well. Unlike others, mandarin ducks do not like to dive and only do this if they are injured.
Another interesting feature of the birds is that they love to sit on rocky ledges and tree branches, while other ducks rest in the water.
In our country, they are dying out because of raccoon dogs, which often destroy their ducks, as well as because of hunting, although today it is completely prohibited.
These rare birds are rarely found outside the borders of Russia; they fly out only occasionally for the winter. The Steller's sea eagle is one of the heaviest and largest species of eagles, weighing up to nine kilograms. In our country it lives on the shore Sea of Okhotsk, as well as on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
It got its name for its amazing coloring: the bird’s middle wing coverts are white. The bird is a predator that feeds on fish, mainly salmon. In addition, the eagle can catch arctic fox, hare, seal, and periodically feeds on carrion. Birds settle on the coasts of the seas, and build nests on the tops of trees and in river valleys.
These rare birds were included in the Red Book of our country. lives in southwestern Russia, as well as in southern Siberia. It is a predator that feeds on insects; its diet also periodically includes scorpions. Birds hunt in flocks in open steppe areas.
Periodically in the spring, the kestrel can hunt small rodents. In the 1st or 2nd year of life, birds form pairs that raise offspring for one season, then they change partners. It makes nests on hillsides and in rock recesses. Such a nest is a small depression, and the female does not use any materials to strengthen it, she simply digs a hole. After 28 days, the chicks hatch, and after the same period of time they fly away from the nest.
These rare birds are the smallest species of cranes. Birds live in six regions of the world, including Russia. Here they mainly settle on the Black Sea coast. They live in open areas, which also distinguishes them from other types of cranes that inhabit swampy areas. Belladonnas form a pair for life, and if the pair does not produce offspring, it breaks up.
Demoiselle belladonnas make a nest right on the ground. To do this, they dig a hole and then strengthen it with twigs. After 29 days, the chicks hatch.
These rare birds live on the islands of the Azov Sea. The pink pelican was listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.
This is a fairly large bird, popularly known as the woman bird. She feeds on fish, catching them with her beak. Pelicans do not know how to dive and only plunge their beaks into the river, catching food for themselves.
The main reason for the disappearance of pink pelicans in our country is the use of pesticides - they contaminate water bodies and soil. In addition, the area where birds live is decreasing, since humans are actively draining water bodies, and without them the life of pelicans is impossible.
White gulls are rare birds (photos can be seen in this article) that are listed in the Red Book of our country. They live mainly in the Arctic, on Victoria Island; one nest was also discovered on the shore of Novaya Zemlya. The bird is in danger of extinction. It is very difficult to track their population because they migrate frequently and are few in number. Ivory gulls are nomadic birds. In the autumn, they sometimes migrate south, although for the winter they prefer to stay in the same areas of the North.
They form pairs only for one season in the spring. For nesting, they settle in entire colonies. The male and female take turns incubating the eggs for a month. The chicks are covered with down during the first year, only towards the end of the year do they begin to develop plumage.
Such rare birds, photos of which are presented in this article, live in the Far East. This species was included in the Red Book of our country as endangered. The population of red-legged ibises was numerous back in the 19th century, after which the species began to decline rapidly.
In Japan, this species was declared extinct; in our country, a pair of ibises was last seen in 1990. Therefore, it is not known for sure whether this bird currently lives in Russia. But scientists are trying to find the remnants of the population, and also to organize nature reserves.
In this collection of photographs you will see the rarest birds in the world. The pictures were taken by photographers who traveled to some of the most remote places on the planet and spent many hours behind the lens trying to find their photographic victim. They all took their rightful place in international competition. During the competition, more than 566 photographs of the rarest birds on Earth were sent. Photo of a kākāpo by Shane McInnes, winner of the Critically Endangered or Endangered Bird category wildlife».
Second place in the same category went to Savio Freire Bruno, with a fascinating photograph of a Brazilian merganser with ducklings. 
In third place is David Boyle with a fantastic image of a frigate in flight from Christmas Island. 
Fourth place went to Dr. Joshua K. Joshi's Forest Owl, Melghat Tiger Sanctuary, Maharashtra, India. 
5th place in the same category of rare and endangered birds was given to a male palila by Eric VanderWerf, Hawaii. 
Honduran emerald from Robert Hyman, Rio Aqua Valley, Polligino, Honduras. 
Winner in the category "Endangered or Rare Birds" - Quan Ming Li from China with beautiful photo Asian ibis in flight. 
Second place went to Huajin Sun with a photograph of a red-crowned crane from East Asia. 
In third place was Daniel Rosengren with a beautiful image of a hummingbird from Peru. 
4th place Great Indian Bustard photographed by Csaba Barkosti, Great Indian Desert, India. 
5th place was awarded to Martin Hale's Scaly Merganser, Jiangxi, China. 
David Boyle won the Endangered and Migratory Bird Species category with his touching image of a pair of orange-bellied parrots from Tasmania. 
Second place in this category went to a forest ibis from Adam Riley, Tamri, Morocco.
Chances are you've never seen some of the world's rarest birds, and you're not alone. There are about ten thousand different species of birds. Some of them are very common - in fact, you probably see them every day.
Other birds, however, are not as common, and some to the point that they go undetected for many years. Today's post is dedicated to birds that are so rare that few have even seen them.
From the giant ibis and California condor to the Indian great bustard, learn about some of the rarest birds you may never have seen!
1. Giant ibis
The largest ibis in the world, the giant ibis is a large wading bird native to northern Cambodia, parts of southern Laos, and Yok Don National Park in Vietnam.
The destruction of their natural habitat, climate change projects and overfishing have put this beautiful bird at risk of extinction.
2. Forest owl
Endemic to the wooded parts of central India, the forest owl is a small, stocky owl with striped wings and tail. The species had already been considered extinct for 113 years, as no birds were found from 1884 to 1997, when it was rediscovered.
The forest owl is found only in a few pockets of isolated and dwindling forest areas in central India, leaving the bird's already small population at risk of extinction.
3. White-bellied Heron
Also known as the imperial heron, the white-bellied heron is a large bird that can be found in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in India, northeastern Bangladesh, Burma and Bhutan.
Although it lives in such remote and inaccessible areas, its population worldwide has declined sharply and the species is seriously suffering due to habitat destruction and degradation.
4. Kakapo, or owl parrot
Endemic to New Zealand, the kakapo is a species of large, wingless, nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrot. The bird was historically important to the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, appearing in many of their traditional legends and folklore.
As of June 2016, the total known adult population was just 123 individuals, which are maintained on three predator-free islands as part of the Kakapo Recovery Plan.
5. Newton's Shrike
This small and very rare bird is endemic to Sao Tome and Principe, an island nation off the west coast of Central Africa.
It lives in subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests that are being destroyed for coffee and cocoa plantations, making this beautiful bird endangered.
6. Tooth-billed Pigeon
The Tooth-billed Pigeon is found only in Samoa ( national bird which he is). Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range, hunting, occasional cyclones, and the impact of introduced species such as pigs, dogs, rats and cats, these birds are critically endangered, with only a few hundred left in the wild. surviving individuals.
7. Kagu
A large ground bird, up to 55 cm in length, the kagu is endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. Kagus are carnivorous birds, feeding on a variety of animals such as annelids, snails and lizards. Vulnerable to introduced predators, the bird is endangered.
8. California Condor
The California condor is North America's largest land bird. The species was considered extinct in the wild in 1987 due to poaching and habitat destruction, but has been successfully reintroduced into parts of Arizona, Utah and California. However, this majestic bird remains endangered.
9. Honduran Amazilia
Found only in Honduras, the Honduran amazilia is a small species of hummingbird. The population of this species is seriously threatened by deforestation and habitat loss. The only area where it is locally distributed is in the Aguan River valley in central Honduras.
10. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Found in the forests of the southeastern United States, the ivory-billed woodpecker is one of the largest woodpeckers in the world, reaching about 50 cm in length and having a wingspan of 76 cm.
The massive destruction of its natural habitat has resulted in the species becoming endangered. It is possible that this bird is already extinct, as no sightings have been reported in recent years.
11. Christmas Frigate
Endemic to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, the Christmas Frigatebird is a large bird with brownish-black plumage. The adult population of this beautiful bird estimated at approximately several thousand surviving individuals.
12. White crane, or Siberian Crane
The white crane is a large, snow-white bird with black flight feathers that are visible in flight. With a wingspan of up to 230 cm and a weight of up to 15 kg, the Siberian Crane is one of the largest and also rarest cranes in the world.
The total white crane population is estimated to be between 3,000 and 4,000 individuals, most of which currently live in China.
13. Blue-gray macaw
The blue-gray macaw is a large South American parrot native to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. The species is classified as critically endangered, but may already be extinct as there have been no reported sightings of the birds for many decades.
14. Oahu Alauahio
Oahu The Alauahio is a small bird, up to 10 cm in length, that is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The bird is endangered due to disease (avian malaria), invasive plants, wildlife, and habitat loss. The last confirmed sighting of them dates back to 1985.
15. Indian Great Bustard
The Indian Great Bustard is a bustard found in India and surrounding areas of Pakistan. A large bird with a horizontal body and long legs, it is one of the heaviest flying birds.
The Indian great bustard was once common across the arid plains of the Indian subcontinent, but in 2011 the population numbered only about 250 surviving individuals as the species declined sharply due to hunting and habitat loss.
The ecosystem today depends on birds. They promote uniform distribution of seeds, carry pollen, and protect plants from harmful insects. Besides helping the ecosystem, birds have amazing beauty, grace and funny habits. Scientists conducted research aimed at identifying the rarest birds around the world. The journal Current Biology published a list of the rarest birds; the research work was carried out by specialists from Yale University and the Zoological Society of London.
Unfortunately, some representatives of the list of rare birds are actually on the verge of extinction. Poaching, unsuitable weather conditions, lack of usual food - all these factors have a detrimental effect on the increase populations.
So, the rarest birds today include:
According to researchers, these representatives are considered the rarest on the planet. Many are on the verge of extinction, but they all have amazing beauty, an unusual appearance and very rarely catch the eye of a person.
Bird breed marvelous spatula is considered a poorly studied and rare representative of the hummingbird family. This bird first attracted the attention of observers in 1835. The body length of this bird does not exceed 30 cm and its weight is light. This creature is of amazing beauty; feathers of different colors combine perfectly with each other. The tail is decorated with only 4 long feathers, the ends of which are rounded. It lives mainly in Peru and ranks tenth in the ranking of rare birds.
In ninth place in the ranking is the Indian bustard. This is a fairly large individual, about 100 cm high, weighing about 20 kg. The plumage is in beige-gray and brown tones. Males wear crests, females are slightly shorter and lighter in weight. The limbs are long and strong, three-fingered. It lives in the steppes and fields of India and is listed in the Red Book. Since 1970 it has been a national symbol of India.
In eighth place is the Brazilian merganser. The habitat of this individual is considered to be the south of Brazil, the northeastern regions of Argentina and the eastern part of Paraguay. Today, only 250 individuals remain in the wild. The body length is about 60 cm, weight is less than a kilogram. In appearance, it is a small creature, with plumage in brown-green and gray colors. There are white spots. The bird's head is crowned with a crest.
In seventh place in the ranking of rare birds is the bird frigate. Belongs to the pelican family, the individual is large, about 100 cm long, weighing more than 1.5 kg. The plumage is mostly black, only the head and wings are white. The tail is long and forked, males are larger than females. A distinctive feature of males is considered to be a red throat pouch. The habitat is considered to be the regions of South and Central America, and some areas of the Palaearctic.
The sixth place was given to a representative called fired. Small birds, only 18-20 cm long, the plumage combines several colors, from golden yellow to dark brown. The wings and tail have a greenish tint. The habitat is considered to be the Hawaiian Islands. In most cases, it settles in dry areas: forests, fields. The species was first described in 1877.
In fifth place is Honduran emerald. It’s easy to guess from the name that the specimen was first discovered in Honduras. Belongs to the hummingbird family, very small, length reaches 9 cm. The plumage is a beautiful emerald color, the chest and abdomen are white, the back, on the contrary, is black. has a long beak. The habitat is considered to be tropical dry forests. Listed in the Red Book.
Parrot takes fourth place kakapo. Belonging to the genus of parrots, the beautiful bird has yellow-green plumage with black spots. The occipital part and back have shades of green, from light green to emerald. Strong white beak, short limbs. The habitat is considered to be New Zealand, as well as the southwestern regions of the South Island. They prefer to settle in forests with high humidity.
In third place is blue-browed momot. A small bird with bright plumage and a luxurious tail. Named because of the peculiar arches above the eyes, intense blue color. The color of the feathers is blue, green, orange and black. The habitat is considered to be the tropics of the New World.
Researchers gave second place to Indian rhinoceros bird. A large individual, about 63 cm tall. The color of the feathers is usually black, the belly, throat and bottom of the tail are usually white. The female and male are the same size and difficult to distinguish. Distributed in the tropics of Asia, including India and Sri Lanka. It is considered an omnivore, eating fish and plant foods.
The rarest bird in the world is the red-legged or Japanese ibis. Today, there are no more than 10 individuals of these birds left in the wild. The color of the feathers of the red-legged ibis is white, with a barely noticeable pink tint. The head and legs of the ibis are red, or rather red-brown. These birds often choose rice fields as settlement sites and settle near water bodies. They feed on small fish, frogs and other reptiles.
People are trying in every possible way to preserve the rarest individuals listed in the Red Book around the world. First of all, control over poachers has been tightened. It is prohibited to shoot or catch birds during the mating season. Some species, for example, the Japanese ibis, are prohibited from being caught in principle.
