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Looking for birds with crazy hairdos? We’ve got you covered!
In this post, we’ve put together a list of 31 birds that have the craziest hair, and will show them to you in their full glory.
We’ll look at the weird, the wonderful, and the outright outrageous hairstyles that birds glamorously pull off, and that make them so special.
What types of birds have crazy hair?
The 31 types of birds that have crazy hairdos are:
- Crested Partridge
- Andean co*ck-of-the-Rock
- Golden Pheasant
- Polish Chicken
- Eurasian Hoopoe
- Himalayan Monal
- Nicobar Pigeon
- Sulphur-crested co*ckatoo
- Philippine Eagle
- Victoria Crowned Pigeon
- Crested Duck
- Grey Crowned Crane
- Red-crested Turaco
- Wood Duck
- Emu
- Marabou Stork
- Smew
- Red-whiskered Bulbul
- Great Curassow
- Demoiselle Crane
- White-crested Helmetshrike
- Royal Flycatcher
- Dalmatian Pelican
- Silver Pheasant
- Curl-crested Aracari
- Mandarin Duck
- Great Blue Turaco
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Hoatzin
- Tufted Puffin
- Rockhopper Penguin
Now let’s dive in, and take a closer look at the wacky coiffure of each of these birds.
Crested Partridge
We kick our list off with the Crested Partridge.
A tropical ground bird found in damp rainforests across Southeast Asia, this adorable overly round, small-sized bird is actually on the “near threatened” list.
In terms of hairstyles, only the males have the crazy hairdo that makes the species so stylish. Black, green, and red in color, male Crested Partridges pull off a vibrant fluffy red pouf.
The red hair stands tall on the bird’s head, making the bird look like it’s fresh out of the salon. Needless to say, this feature gives these birds a pretty wacky hairstyle.
Andean co*ck-Of-The-Rock
In all honesty, this bird looks pretty weird in general, not just because of its hair. With a quite bizarre appearance, this incredibly vibrant bird is half orange and half black.
Unsurprisingly found in the Andean cloud forests, this quite stylish bird uses its bright orange, fluffy hairdo to impress females during the mating season.
The male dances in front of the female, shaking its orange bobble of hair in an attempt to impress.
Also the national bird of Peru, the male Andean co*ck-of-The-Rock bird makes a swift exit when the chicks are finally born.
Crested Duck
The Crested Duck is a domestic duch originally from South America, and is usually kept as an ornamental bird.
The odd shape of its hair is due to a genetic mutation, and has earned it the nickname “duck with an afro”.
Golden Pheasant
Also known as the Chinese or Rainbow Pheasant, this stunning bird rocks a fascinating, bright yellow mohawk.
What’s so impressive and crazy about the bird’s mohawk is how it looks so smart. The mohawk looks absolutely perfect as if it has just been neatly cut by a stylist.
A small to medium-sized bird, the Golden Pheasant is originally native to China, but it can now also be found across South America, North America, Europe, and Australia.
You’re most likely to spot a Golden Pheasant in a zoo as they usually live in dense forests where they are hard to find.
Polish Chicken
The next bird on our list is a domestic breed of chicken found in Poland and the Netherlands.
The Polish Chicken may be known for laying delicious eggs, but it is actually its hairstyle that makes it iconic.
Featuring a white and black plumage and tail, this bird has a wildly unique dome-shaped crest of fluffy hair.
Easily the bird’s most distinguishing feature, there are a lot of people who breed the Polish Chicken as a show bird because of this feature.
And while their big hair does look quite impressive, to us, it looks more like a typical case of bedhead.
Eurasian Hoopoe
If you’ve come here looking for the bird with the craziest hairstyle, you might just have found it in the Eurasian Hoopoe.
This bird has a long, pointed vibrant orange mohawk with deep black pointed tips.
Found in open grasslands across Asia, North Africa, and Europe, this bird’s mohawk can be almost half the size of its body.
Emitting a unique whooping call, the rest of the bird’s body is a lovely mixture of black, white, and orangey-brown.
Himalayan Monal
The Himalayan Monal has a crazy ponytail hairstyle that sits towards the back of its head.
Complementing the bird’s multicolored body perfectly, many would say this bird is one of the most stylish around.
Featuring rainbow feathers and a blue eye patch, you’re most likely to hear the Himalayan Monal before you see it. Its loud calls can be heard from a great distance.
This strikingly beautiful bird may well be our favorite.
Nicobar Pigeon
We wouldn’t usually say a pigeon looks beautiful, but the Nicobar Pigeon is an exception.
This glamorous, multi-colored dove has long silvery locks that form a mane like that found on the lion.
Not much like the more common city pigeon, the Nicobar is interestingly the closest relative of the famous Dodo Bird.
Capable of flying great distances, the Nicobar pigeon can be found in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam, as well as a few other Southeast Asian countries.
Sulphur-crested co*ckatoo
The Sulphur-crested co*ckatoo has an insane hairdo that can grow up to five inches long.
A very expressive hairstyle, this Australian breed of parrot rocks a bright yellow, tubular hairdo that looks almost plant-like.
Despite having an incredibly unique hairdo and bright white body, this large species of parrot is better known for its loud screeching call.
A very social breed of bird, the Sulphur-crested co*ckatoo has lived for up to 80 years in captivity in the past.
Their ability to look out and alert other parrots to potential dangers helps them live a much longer life.
Philippine Eagle
Next, we have the Philippine Eagle. A critically endangered species of bird, there are actually less than 500 individuals left in the World.
Despite being an eagle, this bird of prey has griffin-like splayed hair on its head.
This quite intimidating hairdo suits the Philippine Eagle well as it is a fierce hunter that has a solid reputation for hunting bats, snakes, lizards, and other birds.
Brown, white, and black in color, this dominant bird also weighs a hefty 18 lbs.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
We bet you didn’t expect to see another pigeon on this list, but we simply couldn’t resist mentioning this absolutely stunning bird, which is from New Guinea.
A striking purple-blue color, the Victoria pigeon is named after Queen Victoria, and let’s face it, they would only name a good-looking bird after a Queen.
Usually reaching 30 inches long, this bird rocks a gorgeous blue-feathered crest that looks similar to a peaco*ck’s tail.
Their plumage is also pretty special thanks to its rich blue and gray color. Unfortunately, this is another species that is on the IUCN red list of birds that are near threatened.
Wood Duck
The Wood Duck is native to North America, and is one of the most colorful duck species in this part of the world.
Male Wood Ducks have striking multicolored hair on their heads, which makes it easy to distinguish them from other waterfowl.
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane hails from the African continent, where it can be found in southern and eastern Africa.
It is a tall bird with a golden crown of spiky hair. This crown gives it a regal appearance, which explains why it’s the national bird of Uganda.
Red-crested Turaco
The Red-crested Turaco is another African bird on our list. It is native to Angola, and its plumage is largely green, except for its red hairy crest.
Emu
The Emu is one of the tallest birds in the world (second only to the ostrich). It is a native bird in Australia, and is the largest bird found in this part of the world.
Marabou Stork
Hailing from Africa south of the Sahara, the Marabou Stork is a large bird reaching a height of up to 5 feet. Although they are storks, they retract their head in flight, similar to herons.
Smew
The Smew is a small species of duck that can be found in northern Europe and Asia. Male Smews have a striking black-and-white coloration, with white hair on top of their head.
Red-whiskered Bulbul
The Red-whiskered Bulbul is originally native to Asia, but has been introduced in many parts of the world.
Adult Red-whiskered Bulbuls have bright red cheeks that contrast with their black mohawk hairdos.
Great Curassow
The Great Curassow is a ground dwelling bird found in Central America. Male Great Currasows are almost entirely black, and sport a bizarre curly hair on their head.
Demoiselle Crane
The Demoiselle Crane is found in central Asia, in a broad band from eastern Turkey to northern China.
Demoiselle cranes have a black head and neck, which contrasts with long white hair extending from behind their eyes and down their necks.
This gives them the appearance of tall graceful birds with long hair that is carefully swept back.
White-crested Helmetshrike
The White-crested Helmetshrike is an African bird that sports striking gray hair that is only visible when raised.
Royal Flycatcher
The Royal Flycatcher is a small passerine bird found in Central and South America.
While their overall appearance is inconspicuous and rather drab, the male has a stunning crest of red hair with a blue stripe at its margin.
Dalmatian Pelican
The Dalmatian Pelican is the largest pelican species in the world, and is found in Central Asia from Turkey all the way to eastern China.
These pelicans have curly feathers on their nape and head, which gives them the comical appearance of having a “bad hair day”.
Silver Pheasant
The Silver Pheasant is a ground dwelling bird found in Southeast Asia. The male has a striking black-and-white coloration, including black hair that contrasts with its red face.
Curl-crested Aracari
The Curl-crested Aracari is related to the toucans, and can be found in central parts of South America.
It has short curly feathers on its head that give a bizarre appearance, although you can only see this up close.
Mandarin Duck
The Mandarin Duck is originally from East Asia, but has been successfully introduced in other parts of the world. Males have striking orange and cream colored hair on their head.
Great Blue Turaco
The Great Blue Turaco hails from Africa, and is the largest of the turacos.
Adults are almost entirely dark blue-gray, except for their bright yellow beak. They have a prominent crest of black hair on their head.
Double-crested Cormorant
The Double-crested Cormorant is the most common cormorant species in North America.
As its name implies, it has two small tufts of hair extending from behind its eyes, which give the bird a comical appearance when they are extended.
Hoatzin
The Hoatzin is the size of a pheasant, and is found in the rainforests and mangroves of South America, especially in the Amazon basin.
Adults have a blue gray face that contrasts with their long orange-red hair extending outwards in the style of a mohawk.
Tufted Puffin
The Tufted Puffin is a member of the auk family, and is found in the North Pacific.
It is almost entirely black, except for its white face and two white tufts of hair extending from the back of its head.
Rockhopper Penguin
We end our list with the Rockhopper Penguin, another bizarre looking seabird.
This is a small penguin species with striking red eyes and a mix of black and yellow spiky feathers that look like funny hair on their head.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 10 birds from all over the world with the wildest hairstyles. How many of the birds from our list did you already know about?
As you can see from our list, birds vary massively not just in color, shape, and size, but also in the hairstyles they rock.
It’s probably fair to say that birds with hair are naturally stylish. Almost every one of these species of birds has incredibly beautiful feathers with unique colors, shapes, and textures.
Hopefully, you now know a lot more about the world of birds and their crazy hairstyles.
If you’ve caught the bug, why not check out our article on birds with huge mouths. You won’t be disappointed!
