Are you intrigued by birds? Do you like exploring their types and habitats? Our article today is about tropical birds. Knowing the location of the tropics is a prerequisite to understanding what a tropical bird is. They are that region of the planet’s surface that forms a band around the equator and is bounded by the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, respectively, in the north and south. The native birds of this region are referred to as “tropical birds.” Here is a list of some of them,
Tropical Birds
1. Greater Rhea
Rhea is one of the bigger species of tropical birds. It is the ideal illustration of a tropical bird that lacks bright colors and does not reside in the rainforest or the jungle. It stands up to 67 inches tall from head to foot.
This flightless bird inhabits an environment of open grassland, pampas, and salt marshes and can be found from Brazil to Argentina. Despite not being able to fly, the Rhea possesses powerful wings that may spread out to speed up its running and attract female attention. The eggs are laid in a nest that the male builds on the ground after mating with numerous different females.
Also Read: Top 10 Green And Yellow Birds In The World
2. Royal Flycatcher
The royal flycatcher is a wonderful small bird that is recognized for its eye-catching crest. While females have a yellow crest that is elaborately adorned with black and steel blue tips, males have a striking scarlet crest. These crests will be displayed both during courting rituals and combative engagements by the flycatcher.
The hamerkop has strong, big, rounded wings and flies by flapping and gliding, despite not being a particularly attractive bird. The bird stretches its neck when gliding but brings its head in when flapping its wings. In order to gain a little lift when running, it may also hold its wings out.
Image Source: Nick Athanas
3. Hamerkop
This medium-sized bird can be found in Madagascar and most of Africa. The wading bird feeds on insects, rodents, tiny fish, and other water creatures in shallow lakes, marshes, and rivers. Its large bill and backswept crest give its head the appearance of a hammer, hence its common name.
Image Source: Wikimedia
4. Malabar Pied Hornbill
The Malabar pied hornbill, which is found throughout India and Sri Lanka, is easily recognized thanks to its relatively large and peculiar-looking horn. Indian tribal people held the belief that hanging a skull from the horn of this bird would bring them fortune. Despite the fact that the number of these amazing birds has not been determined, it is thought that they are a “near-threatened” species.
5. Harpy Eagle
This enormous, almost extinct eagle of the South American rainforests has a horrifying appearance. It has large talons and a deep, hooked bill. Because it has talons and a bill, the harpy eagle is an apex predator and can consume animals as large as sloths and monkeys. In addition, the eagle has a black feathered crest that it raises in annoyance. The harpy eagle, however, mates for life, and the wedded pair treats one another tenderly while constructing their nest.
6. Roseate Spoonbill
The roseate spoonbill bird with a long neck scientifically known as Platalea ajaja is a wading pink bird that belongs to the family spoonbill family known as Threskiornithidae. The bird species is a resident breeder in both South and North America. It can grow between 71 to 86 cm (28 to 34 in) long with a total wingspan between 120 to 133 cm (47 to 52 in).
The average weight is between 1.2 to 1.8 kg. Roseate Spoonbill loves to thrive in shrubs or trees, often mangroves, and lays eggs in between two to five that are whitish with brown markings. The bill is yellowish or pinkish. The avarage lifespan is upto 10 years in the wild. It is also listed as one of the long legged birds in the world.
Also Read: 10 Types Of Birds with Long Beaks
7. African Pygmy Goose
African Pygmy Goose is a type of perching duck because of its stubby bill. The bird species can be seen throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. The avarage lifespan of the African Pygmy Goose is between 10 to 15 years in the wild.
It can grow up to 75 cm (30 in) in length and its avarage wieght is approximately 285 g (0.875 oz.) The diet consists primarily of water lily seeds, however, it also consumes aquatic insects and small fishes. African Pygmy Goose is the smallest of Africa’s wildfowl and also the smallest across the world.
Image Source: Wikmedia
8. Kagu
Kagu is one of the weirdest birds in the world scientifically known as Rhynochetos jubatus, a long-legged white bird with a blue-grey crest. It is a nearly flightless bird and prefers to stay on the ground. Kagu used to prey on worms, lizards, and snails. It is endemic to the dense mountains of New Caledonia and spends most of the time on the forest floor where they make thier habitat and wait for its prey.
Kagu is one of the tropical birds with a long lifespan and they can live between 20 to 30 years in the wild. They are small birds that can grow upto 22 in (55 cm) long and 2 ft (0.6 m) tall with an avarage wieght between 700 to 1,100 gms.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Papuan Lorikeet
Papuan Lorikeets also known as Stella’s Lorikeet and Mount-Goliath Lorikeets are bird species endemic to the mountains of Vogelkop Peninsular, Irian Jaya, in Indonesia. It can grow upto 42 cm (16.5 inches) in length along with a wingspan between 130 to 145 mm. The parrot species belongs to the family Psittaculidae. It can grow in length between 1.2 to 1.4 ft and its average weight is between 74 to 113 gms. These lorikeet species have ample melanin that makes them black and known as the melanistic color phase.
Image Source: Wikimedia
10. Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus Parrot is one of the amazing tropical birds scientifically known as Eclectus roratus that comes with bright colors typically green and red. The natural predators of bird species are possums, birds of prey, and wild dogs.
These are mostly seen in the region of the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, and the Moluccas. The avarage lifespan of an Eclectus Parrot is more than 30 years in the wild. It can grow upto a length between 12 to 14.5 inches and the average weight is 16 ounces. The female species of Eclectus parrot also known as hens and are extremely maternal and will defend their nest to death.
11. Burmese Shrike
The Burmese Shrike is a bird species that belong to the family Laniidae. They are mostly seen in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It prefers to thrive in regions equipped with tropical, subtropical, lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The body ranges between 19 to 21 cm and immature females weigh up to 26 grams.
Image Source: Wikimedia
12. Brown-headed barbet
The Brown-headed barbet is an Asian barbet bird species native to the Indian subcontinent and prefers to thrive in the regions of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. Talking about its appearance, the adult species can be identified with the help of a streaked brown head, neck, breast, and a yellow eye patch. The plumage is green in color and can grow upto 27 cm (11 in) long. The head is larger, however, the neck and tail are short in size.
The body ranges between 25 to 30 cm in length and the average weight is between 100 to 140 grams. The diet of the brown-headed barbet consists mainly of fruits such as wild fruits, figs, drupes, berries, cultivated garden fruits, and vegetables. The avarage lifespan of other barbet species is between 10 to 15 years, so a reasonable assumption of Brown-headed barbet lifespan is similar to the other relatives across the world.
Image Source: Wikimedia
13. Bridled tern
The Bridled tern is a seabird that belongs to the family Laridae. It is also known as the bird of the tropical oceans and can grow between 30 to 32 cm in length with a total wingspan between 77 to 81 cm which is quite similar to the common tern. The avarice lifespan of the bridled tern is between 12 to 18 years in the wild. The scientific name is Onychoprion anaethetus and belongs to the category of Terns. The maximum longevity of bridled tern is observed upto 24.9 years (wild). The adult wieght is upto 133.3 gms.
Image Source: Wikimedia
14. Antbird
Antbirds are small birds that belong to the family Thamnophilidae. They are mostly seen in the regions of tropical and subtropical Central and South America, from Mexico to Argentina. The wings are rounded and have strong legs. They are monogamous bird species who mate for life and also defend thier territories. The population of antbirds is declining because of habitat loss, which causes habitat fragmentation and increased nest predation in habitat fragments. The body length ranges between 9.5 to 37 cm and the average weight is upto 26 grams.
Image Source: Wikimedia
15. Brown Noddy
The brown noddy also known as the common noddy belongs to the family Laridae. It is very closely related to the black noddy by its larger size and plumage, however, it is dark brown in color rather than black. It preys on small squids, mollusks, aquatic insects, and fish by swooping over the water and dipping down to catch it. The body length grows between 38 to 45 cm in length and the total wingspan is between 75 to 86 cm. The average lifespan of a brown body is up to 25 years.
Image Source: Wikimedia
16. Tropical Kingbird
The tropical kingbird is a large tyrant flycatcher bird species mostly seen in the regions of southeastern Arizona and southern Texas. During the winter season, it will migrate to southern Texas south through Mexico and Central America to South America. The dietary habits are insectivores in nature and feed on flying insects like beetles, moths, butterflies, wasps, and bees. The bird species are active during the day and night. The body length ranges between 18 to 23 cm with a total wingspan of up to 12 cm. The average lifespan of a tropical kingbird is up to 6 years in the wild and it is similar to any other passerine bird and other species of kingbirds.
Image Source: Wikipedia
17. Nicobar Pigeon
The Nicobar pigeon is one of the colourful tropical birds mostly seen in the South East Asia and Oceania. The body length can grow upto 40 cm and avarage wieght is between 460 to 600 grams. It is the only living member of the genus Caloenas apart from extinct Spotted green pigeon. The bird species is closest relative of the extinct dodo and Rodrigues solitaire. Talkinga bout the appearance, they have a bright plumage where head is grey, howvever, the upper neck plumage turns into green and copper hackles. The dietary habit is granivores & frugivores in nature and feeds on seeds, fruit, and buds, and occasionally insects. The avarage lifespan of Nicobar pigeon is between 8 to 15 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
18. Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a large bluish-grey pigeon that comes with lace-like crests, maroon breast, and red eyes. The bird species is also a part of genus (Goura) for its unique large ground-dwelling pigeons native to the New Guinea region. It can be easily recignized with the help of unique white tips on its crests and make deep ‘whooping’ sounds made while calling. They are gregarious birds who mostly travel in pairs or small groups as they search for food. It is also listed as one of the beautiful birds with Mohawks.
Image Source: Wikimedia
19. Scarlet Ibis
Scarlet Ibis is one of the beautiful pink birds that comes with long, thin and curved bill. The legs and neck are long and partially webbed feet. These red headed birds in Hawaii mostly seen in the regions of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. These social birds mostly seen in flocks and during flight ibises form diagonal lines or V-formations. They are ancient lineage and fossils believed to be as old as 60 million years. It is also listed as one of the red birds in the world.
Also Read: 21 Long Legged Birds In the World
20. Shining Green Hummingbird
The shining-green hummingbird scientific name is Chrysuronia goudoti is a hummingbird species that belongs the family Trochilidae. It is mostly seen in the Colombia and Venezuela and prefers to thrive in subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is also known as Goudot’s Hummingbird or Luminous Hummingbird and primarily feed on nectar taken from a variety of brightly colored, scented small flowers of trees, herbs, shrubs, and epiphytes. The bird species can be easily identified with the help of iridescent green with dusky wings and tail.
Image Source: Billtacular
21. Long-tailed Broadbill
The long-tailed broadbill scientific name is Psarisomus dalhousiae is a bird species that is mostly seen in the Himalayas, extending east through Northeastern India to Southeast Asia. This is the only bird in the genus Psarisomus. The length of the bill is upto 25 cm (10 inches) in length and avarage wieght is between 50 to 60 grams. The bird species can be easily identified with the help of its shrill call. The primary diet includes small insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, locust, beetles, aphids, dipteran flies, bugs, moths and spiders.
Image Source: Wikimedia
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