Ever noticed how some birds have the coolest hairdos? Birds with mohawks are like the rock stars of the avian world, flaunting their unique crests and vibrant personalities. From the striking colors of the Cockatiel to the elegant crests of the Victoria Crowned Pigeon, these birds never fail to impress.
In this article, we’re diving into the world of birds with mohawks, exploring their stunning looks, fascinating behaviors, and the reasons why they stand out in the wild. Get ready to meet 10 of the most beautiful birds with mohawks and discover what makes each one so special!
Beautiful Birds With Mohawks
1. Northern Cardinal: A Beautiful Bird with a Mohawk
The Northern Cardinal is a stunning bird with a distinctive look. This mid-sized songbird, measuring about 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 inches) in length, is easily recognizable by the crest, or “mohawk,” on top of its head.
In Native American lore, the Northern Cardinal is much more than a pretty bird. It symbolizes devotion, loving relationships, and monogamy. Some tribes believed cardinals were signs of rain, while others, like those in the southeastern regions, saw them as symbols of good fortune and sunshine.
The bright red color of the cardinal is often associated with positivity and hope, especially during tough times.
There’s even a popular saying, “Cardinals appear when angels are near,” which suggests that seeing a cardinal could be a sign of a departed loved one watching over you.
Diet and Feeding Habits: The Northern Cardinal has a varied diet that includes many insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, flies, and more. They also eat spiders, centipedes, and snails. But their diet isn’t all about insects; they consume a lot of vegetable matter too. This includes seeds from weeds and grasses, waste grain, leaf buds, flowers, and a variety of berries and wild fruits.
2. Eurasian hoopoe
The Eurasian Hoopoe is one of the most eye-catching birds, known for its distinct appearance.
This bird has a beautiful cinnamon-colored body, striking black and white wings, and a broad white band across its black tail. Its long, narrow, down-curved bill and tall, erect crest, or “mohawk,” make it easily recognizable. When excited, the hoopoe raises this pinkish-brown crest, adding to its unique look.
The Eurasian Hoopoe stands out with its exotic appearance, comparable in size to a Mistle Thrush. Its soft call, “oop-oop-oop,” is distinctive and adds to its charm. The hoopoe’s crest, black and white wings, and unique bill make it one of the most fascinating birds.
Diet and Feeding Habits: Hoopoes mainly eat insects, focusing on large insects, their larvae, and pupae. They are skilled foragers, often searching animal droppings and dung heaps for beetles. Their long beak is perfect for probing the ground and finding food.
In summary, the Eurasian Hoopoe is a striking bird with a beautiful mohawk and unique feeding habits, making it a fascinating subject for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts alike.
3. Steller’s jay
The Steller’s Jay is a stunning bird native to western North America and the mountains of Central America. It’s closely related to the Blue Jay but stands out as the only crested jay west of the Rocky Mountains. With its striking blue, white, and black plumage and its perky crest, or “mohawk,” the Steller’s Jay is hard to miss.
In mythology, the Steller’s Jay symbolizes hope and resilience. It’s believed to teach fearlessness, adaptability, and survival. These birds are often found in forests but are also common in campgrounds, parks, and backyards. They are known for their intelligence and complex social systems, often spotted around bird feeders and picnic spots.
Diet: The Steller’s Jay has a varied diet, consisting of about two-thirds vegetable matter and one-third animal matter. They feed heavily on pine seeds, acorns, nuts, berries, and wild fruits. In summer, they also eat many insects like beetles and wasps.
4. Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse is a charming small songbird found in North America, belonging to the tit and Chickadee family.
This bird is easy to recognize with its cute crest, or “mohawk,” on top of its head. The black-crested titmouse, a relative found in Texas and beyond, used to be considered a subspecies but is now a separate species.
Tufted Titmice are known for their friendly nature and imaginative singing. They often visit feeders and birdhouses in backyards, sometimes even plucking hair for nest building! Interestingly, these birds never fly over water.
Their song is a clear, fast-repeated whistle: “peter-peter-peter,” which they can repeat up to 35 times per minute. Female titmice sometimes sing a quieter version.
Diet: The Tufted Titmouse has a diet that includes mostly insects and seeds. Insects make up about two-thirds of their diet, with caterpillars being a favorite in the summer. They also eat wasps, bees, beetles, bugs, and many other insects, as well as spiders and snails.
5. Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a stunning bird that looks like royalty. It’s a large pigeon with a beautiful bluish-grey color, a maroon chest, and striking red eyes. What makes it stand out is its elegant blue lace-like crest, which looks like a fancy mohawk.
This pigeon is native to the New Guinea region and is one of four unique, very large, ground-dwelling pigeons. Sadly, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. While hunting has decreased, their population is still shrinking due to habitat loss from logging and palm oil plantations.
Diet: In the wild, these pigeons enjoy eating fallen fruits, seeds, berries, insects, and other small creatures. In zoos, their diet includes papaya, special bird pellets, mealworms, corn grubs, and Bird of Paradise pellets.
In summary, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is a remarkable bird with a fancy mohawk, making it a standout in the avian world. Its beauty and uniqueness are truly captivating.
6. Sulphur-crested cockatoo
The Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is a large, white bird known for its striking yellow crest, or “mohawk,” that stands out against its bright white feathers. This eye-catching bird is native to the wooded habitats of Australia, New Guinea, and some Indonesian islands. These birds are so numerous in some areas that they are sometimes considered pests.
These birds are not just known for their beautiful appearance but also their social nature. They are often seen in large flocks and are very vocal, making them a lively and entertaining presence in their habitats.
Diet: In the wild, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos have a varied diet. They eat a mix of seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, flowers, and other vegetation, depending on what is available during different seasons. Some cockatoos even snack on insects and their larvae.
7. Great curassow
The Great Curassow is a large, impressive bird found in the rainforests of the Neotropics, from eastern Mexico through Central America to parts of Colombia and Ecuador. These birds resemble pheasants and are known for their unique, curly crests, or “mohawks.” Males are black with yellow beaks and curly crests, while females can be barred, rufous, or black.
Standing about 36 inches tall, the Great Curassow is a robust bird with long tails and a distinctive yellow bulge at the base of their bills. These birds are primarily ground dwellers, living in the undergrowth of lowland forests, plantations, and riverside thickets.
Diet and Predators: Great Curassows mainly eat fruit, but their diet also includes buds, shoots, leaves, flowers, fungi, and invertebrates. They have natural predators such as ocelots and ornate hawk-eagles. When protecting their young, curassows may perform distraction displays, pretending to be injured to divert the predator’s attention.
8. Western crowned pigeon
The Western Crowned Pigeon, also known as the Common Crowned Pigeon or Blue Crowned Pigeon, is a large and beautiful bird. It has a striking blue-grey body, blue lacy crests on its head, and dark blue mask-like feathers around its eyes. Males are usually bigger than females, and these birds can grow up to 70 cm long and weigh around 2.1 kg.
In the wild, Western Crowned Pigeons eat fallen fruits, seeds, berries, insects, and other small creatures. In zoos, their diet includes papaya, special bird pellets, mealworms, corn grubs, and Bird of Paradise pellets.
Hunted for their meat and beautiful feathers, these pigeons are now mostly found in remote areas. Despite this, they continue to thrive in places far from human activity.
Habitat and Diet: This pigeon is native to the lowland rainforests of northwestern New Guinea. Unlike other pigeons, crowned pigeons have sixteen tail feathers instead of twelve, and they lack an oil gland and gall bladder. They also have a large, fan-shaped crest of lacy feathers that gives them their unique “mohawk” look.
9. Pileated woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a large and impressive bird native to North America. Known for its striking black feathers and bold red crest, or “mohawk,” this woodpecker stands out in any forest.
This woodpecker can be found in deciduous forests across eastern North America, around the Great Lakes, in the boreal forests of Canada, and along parts of the Pacific Coast and northern Rockies. Its main requirement is large trees, especially dead or dying ones, which provide both food and nesting sites.
The Pileated Woodpecker’s striking appearance and size, along with its unique red crest, make it one of the most recognizable woodpeckers in North America. Its presence is a good indicator of a healthy forest ecosystem.
Diet and Behavior: As an insectivore, the Pileated Woodpecker primarily feeds on insects. It uses its strong beak to drill into trees in search of ants, beetles, and other insects, often leaving behind distinctive rectangular holes. This bird’s loud, rhythmic drumming can often be heard echoing through the forest.
10. Grey Go-Away-Bird
The Grey Go-Away-Bird is a striking bird native to southern Africa. It has a long tail and is covered in beautiful grey feathers. The most eye-catching feature is its impressive mohawk, making it a standout in the bird world.
These birds are often seen perched on tree tops, where they make their famous alarm call that sounds like “go-away.” This call is how the bird got its unique name. The Grey Go-Away-Bird thrives in savannahs, nearby woodlands, and even suburban areas like parks and gardens.
Diet: The Grey Go-Away-Bird loves to eat fruit, but its diet doesn’t stop there. They also munch on leaves, buds, flowers, nectar, snails, and insects. In suburban areas, they might visit feeders for fruit and vegetables.
11. Crested tit
The Crested Tit, also known as the European Crested Tit, is a small, eye-catching bird from the tit family Paridae. This bird is famous for its striking crest, or “mohawk,” which adds a touch of flair to its appearance.
The Crested Tit is commonly found in coniferous forests across central and northern Europe. It also inhabits deciduous woodlands in France and the Iberian Peninsula. This bird is a resident breeder, meaning it stays in the same area year-round.
The Crested Tit has a distinctive look with its prominent crest and a mix of grey, black, and white feathers. This bird is active and lively, often seen flitting about trees in search of food.
Diet: Its diet mainly consists of insects, spiders, and seeds. During winter, it stores food to ensure it has enough to eat when resources are scarce.
12. Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus)
The Cockatiel, also known as Nymphicus hollandicus, is a small parrot famous for its striking mohawk. These birds have a grey body with large white wing patches. Males are particularly eye-catching with their yellow-grey mohawk, orange cheek patches, and whitish-yellow faces.
Female cockatiels are less colorful, with a greyer overall look. They have light grey and yellow barring on their rump, lower back, and central tail. Their underwings and undertail also show yellow spots and barring.
Habitat and Diet: Cockatiels are native to Australia and thrive in arid and semi-arid habitats. You can find them in savannahs, farmlands, grasslands, open woodlands, parks, and yards. They enjoy a diet of seed pods, fruits, nuts, flowers, and seeds.
So these were the 12 Stunning Birds With Mohawks!