When we think of birds, our minds roll to the cute birds we see in our backyards but the fact is that birds come in all shapes and sizes. Here is the list of some of the birds with long necks,
Birds With Long Necks
1. Giant Ibis
The giant ibis is a wading bird that belongs to the ibis family Threskiornithidae. The bird species is confined to northern Cambodia, however, some of the birds are also seen in extreme southern Laos and a recent sighting in Yok Don National Park, Vietnam. The body length of adult species can grow between 102 to 106 cm in length and the average weight is upto 4.2 kg.
It loves to thrive in marshes, swamps, lakes, wide rivers, flooded plains, and semi-open forests as well as pools, ponds, and seasonal water meadows in denser deciduous forests. The species primarily feeds on giant earthworms, eels, and frogs. The exact date of the average lifespan of Giant Ibis is not known in the wild, however, the lifespan range of all Ibises is between 16 to 27 years.
Image Source: USAID Biodiversity & Forestry
2. Roseate Spoonbill
The Roseate spoonbill is one of the tropical birds with long necks that belong to the spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. The body ranges between 71 to 86 cm in length and the avarage weight is between 1 to 1.8 kg. These birds with long beaks is a resident breeder in both South and North America. The garage lifespan of Roseate spoonbill is between 10 to 15 years. The dietary habits are carnivores and feed on crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, newts, and very small fish.
3. Goliath Heron
The Goliath heron is again a large wading bird that belongs to the heron family, Ardeidae. They are mostly seen in the regions of sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller, declining numbers in Southwest and South Asia. The world’s largest living heron can grow between 120 to 152 cm in length and its wingspan is between 185 to 230 cm.
It is also known as a giant heron and its avarage weight is between 4 to 5 kg. Goliath herons are solitary foragers and are highly territorial towards other Goliaths entering their feeding territories. It often hunts by standing in the shallows, intently watching the water at its feet. The avarage lifespan of a Goliath Heron is upto 23 years.
Also Read: 21 Long Legged Birds In the World
Image Source: Lip Kee
4. Greater Flamingo
The greater flamingo is one of the popular birds with long necks and also the largest species of the flamingo family. They are mostly seen in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in southern Europe. The body length of long-necked animal species ranges between 80 to 150cm and the avarage weight is between 2 to 4 kg.
The top speed of bird species is upto 59 km/h and their height is between 110 to 150 cm. The avarage lifespan of the greater flamingo is between 40 to 60 years. The dietary habits are carnivores in nature and feed on crustaceans, mollusks, worms, crabs, insects, and sometimes small fish. They are also seen eating plant material, including shoots and grass seeds, decaying leaves, and algae, sometimes even ingesting mud to extract any organic matter it contains.
5. Great Egret
The Great egret is a bird species that belongs to the heron family. As of now, 4 subspecies of great egrets are known and have mostly been in temperate and tropical areas around the world. The body length of great egret is between 31 to 41 inches in length and the average weight is between 1.5 to 3.3 pounds. The diet of the great egret feeds on fish, frogs, snakes, crustaceans, and insects that live in or near the water. They also feed on lizards, small mammals, and birds on solid ground. The avarage lifespan of a great egret is 15 years in the wild and 22 years in captivity.
6. Whooping Crane
The Whooping Crane is the tallest North American white bird and one of two crane species native to North America. The body length ranges between 130 to 160 cm and the average weight is between 6 to 7 kg.
The avarage lifespan of a whooping crane is between 22 to 40 years. The average height of the whooping crane is upto 1.5 m and fly with a top speed of upto 80 km/h. The dietary habits of the whooping crane are omnivorous in nature and feed on aquatic invertebrates, frogs, small fish, and berries in the summer season, and during the winter season, it feeds on clams and blue crabs.
7. Sandhill crane
The Sandhill crane is closely related to the crowned Crane fossil and is found in the regions of Ashfall Fossil Beds in northeast Nebraska. They are believed to be 10 million years old and according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the earliest unequivocal Sandhill Crane fossil is estimated to be 2.5 million years old.
The hieght of the bird is between 3 to 4 feet and the average weight is between 6 to 12 pounds. The diet nature is omnivorous and feeds on waste grain left in corn fields that makes upto 90% of the diet and 10% consists of plant and animal foods found in wet meadows adjacent to the river. The avarage lifespan of the sandhill crane is between 20 to 40 years. It is also listed as one of the most beautiful gray birds in the world.
8. Tricolored Heron
The tricolored heron is a heron species native to coastal parts of the Americas. They are mostly seen in the Atlantic regions, the northeastern United States, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, and southern parts of Brazil. The body length ranges between 56 to 76 cm in length and the avarage weight is between 334 to 415 grams. Their dietary habits are carnivores and piscivores in nature and feed on fish, amphibians, crustaceans, gastropods, worms, leeches, spiders, and insects. The avarage lifespan of a Tricolored Heron is upto 17 years.
9. White-faced ibis
The white-faced ibis is a wading bird that belongs to the ibis family, Threskiornithidae. The body length of white-faced ibis is between 45 to 56 cm in length and the average weight is between 450 to 535 grams. The bird breeds in marshes, usually nesting in bushes or low trees and its range extends upto the western United States, southern Mexico, southeastern Brazil, southeastern Bolivia, south and central Argentina, and on the coast of central Chile. During the winter season, it moves from southern California to Louisiana. The avarage lifespan of white-faced ibis is between 9 to 14 years.
10. European spoonbill
The Eurasian spoonbill is a wading bird that belongs to the spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. It is also known as the common spoonbill and is mostly seen in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The primary diet consists of insects, mollusks, newts, crustaceans, worms, leeches, frogs, tadpoles, and small fishes between 10 to 15 cm. The avarage lifespan of the European spoonbill is not known, however, the European spoonbill is known to live up to the age of 30 years old.
Image Source: Hiyashi Haka
11. Scarlet Ibis
Scarlet Ibis is one of the beautiful pink birds whose population is decreasing because of habitat destruction, poaching, and insecticides. These red bird species are not only scavengers but also primarily feed on insects. Scarlet Ibis are very valuable for farmers because they help in controlling crop pests. There are instances when these red-headed birds in Hawaii bird species are hunted for food and taste because they prefer crabs and other crustaceans. It is also listed as one of the most beautiful tropical birds in the world.
12. Bewick’s swan
Bewick’s swan is the smallest of our swans that can grow upto 1.2 m in length and wieght was between 5 to 7 kilograms. The avarage lifespan of Bewick’s swan is upto 9 years in the wild. The bird species can be identified with the help of white with a yellow and black bill and can be distinguished from the whooper swan by the less extensive yellow markings on its bill. It used to spend most of the winter in the UK, mainly in East Anglia, the Severn Estuary, and Lancashire.
Image Source: Wikimedia
13. Grey heron
The Grey heron scientific name Ardea cinerea is a wading bird species that belongs to the family Ardeidae. The body length is between 84 to 102 cm in length and the average weight is between 1 to 2 kilograms. They are found in most parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Grey herons are social birds that can be fed alone or in groups and at night they roost in trees or on cliffs and tend to be gregarious. The dietary habit includes carnivores in nature and feeds mostly on fish. The avarage lifespan of a grey heron is between 15 to 20 years in the wild.
Image Source: Stig
14. Black-Necked Stork
The black-necked stork’s scientific name is Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus is a wading bird that belongs to the stork family. They are mostly seen across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia and some of them in the Australian continent as well. The adult species of both sexes can be identified with the help of a heavy bill and are patterned in white and iridescent blacks, but the sexes differ in the color of the iris with females sporting yellow irises and males having dark-colored irises. The avarage lifespan of black-necked stork is upto 33 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
15. Cattle egret
The cattle egret is one of the beautiful white birds in Florida that belongs to the family Ardeidae. They are diurnal birds that will feed during the day and sleep at night. These long-legged birds are highly social where they feed in flocks and nest in colonies. Cattle egrets are usually found with the cattle species and other grazing animals and can even catch small creatures disturbed by the mammals.
16. Black swan
The black swan is one of the most beautiful black animals in the world native to Australia, including Tasmania, and mainly occurs in Australia’s south-eastern and south-western wetlands. These bird species are active during the day and feed similarly to other swans. The primary diet includes algae, leaves of reedmace, and stoneworts. Occasionally they will eat insects. As of now, there are no major threats to Black swans, however, brief hunting can be seen due to crop damage caused by this bird.
These are some of the birds with long necks. Kindly share and do post your comments.
