Species Of Birds With Fantastically Colored Tails
Our planet is home to thousands and thousands of species of birds. No two birds are alike, and different species can vary drastically in terms of their shapes, sizes, and colors.
While some birds are fairly plain and don’t have much in the way of colorful plumage, there are just as many species of birds with incredible and colorful tails that they flaunt at every opportunity.
These are the birds we’ll be looking at today!
In this article, we’ll take a look at some species of birds with fantastically colored tails, covering the most impressive and interesting species in the world.
So read on, and let’s take a look at the most colorful and fantastic bird tails out there!
5 Species Of Birds With Fantastically Colored Tails!
Peacock
The peacock is one of the most well-known birds in the animal kingdom. They’re known for having long, beautiful feathers that they use to attract mates.
The male peacocks’ tail feathers are often so brightly colored that it’s almost impossible not to notice them; meanwhile, the female peafowl has much more muted plumage in browns and grays.
These colorful feathers are typically vibrant greens and blues, with a darker spot in the middle of each feather that almost looks like an eye.
The colors on their feathers shine with a beautiful iridescence.
A peacock’s feathers are unusually shaped – each feather has a very long quill lined with thin plumes, leading to a large, round feather at the tip.
The feathers on the end are round, and are made up of long, thin plumes. Male peacocks have around 150 of these tail feathers, and they fall out and grow back each year.
During their mating ritual, male peacocks will flare and display their tail feathers in order to attract a mate. The peacock with the most impressive plumage will attract the most potential mates.
Blue And Gold Macaw
Blue and gold macaws are a type of parrot native to South America. Their name comes from the bright yellow coloration on their face and chest.
Blue and gold macaws also have bright blue feathers, which cover most of their head and back.
However, what really makes the blue and gold macaw stand out (and what gives them their name) is their gorgeous golden feathers that they hide on the underside of their wings and tail.
When the blue and gold macaw isn’t in flight, you can mostly only see their blue feathers (apart from some of their yellow plumage).
But when the macaw spreads its wings, it reveals the beautiful gold beneath! The tail is also spread out during flight, and its golden beauty is truly a sight to behold.
Red-Breasted Parakeet
Red-breasted parakeets are a type of parakeet found throughout Central and South America. They’re quite small birds, usually weighing between 5 ounces and 6 pounds.
They have a distinctive red patch on their chest, as well as a gray head. The rest of their body, meanwhile, is covered in bright green feathers.
While a red-breasted parakeet’s tail isn’t very long in comparison with the rest of its body, it more than makes up for its lack of size with some incredible colors.
Despite most of the bird’s body being covered in bright green feathers (not counting its iconic red breast), the red-breasted parakeet’s tail turns a darker shade as you get closer to the tip.
It has the same bright green at the base; however, as you move further along it becomes a much deeper, richer emerald color.
This blend of different shades of green on its tail makes this stunning bird all the more interesting!
Scarlet Macaw
Another species of macaw and probably the most iconic macaws of all, scarlet macaws are most well-known for their triple-colored plumage.
Scarlet macaws aren’t just red – they also mix in bright yellow feathers along with a rich blue. These colors are typically split into three from head to toe.
Most of the top half of the bird is covered in bright scarlet feathers, starting at its head and ending at the top of its wings, where its ‘shoulders’ would be.
The yellow patches are quite small, and usually only occupy a small section in the middle of the wings and stretching across the macaw’s shoulders.
Finally, the tips of the wings and most of the lower body are made up of gorgeous sapphire blue feathers.
But while the body of the scarlet macaw is separated into different colors, its tail mixes all three into a beautiful tricolor of primary colors.
A scarlet macaw’s tail can also be quite long, with feathers measuring up to 17 inches in length! This means that all three of these colors can be enjoyed in all of their glory as the scarlet macaw flies overhead.
Greater Bird-Of-Paradise
The bird-of-paradise is a fitting name for these species of birds, all of which are known for their impressive appearances and gorgeous tails.
There are several varieties of bird-of-paradise, but the greater bird-of-paradise definitely lives up to its reputation as, well, the greatest.
While this incredible bird has a body that’s incredible in its own right – with gorgeous gold and brown plumage on its body and shimmering copper wings – the tail is where it really stands out.
The greater bird-of-paradise’s tail can be more than 1.5 times the length of the rest of its body. It is made up of soft, delicate feathers that flow through the air behind the bird.
Around half of the feather, starting from the base, is made out of beautiful yellow feathers.
However, the rest of the feather leading to the tip is a bright, untainted white.
They also have a pair of tail wires – these are long, thin plumes that stretch on either side of the greater bird-of-paradise’s tail to improve its balance and for use in courtship displays.
Superb Lyrebird
Another species that definitely lives up to its name, the superb lyrebird is just as incredible as its name implies.
These birds are most famous for their uncanny ability to mimic practically any other noise it encounters, from other bird calls to a chainsaw rev, and even small pieces of human speech!
However, they are also notable for their impressive flared tails.
The tail of a lyrebird is mostly made out of long, thin plumes that have a slight blue shade and a hint of iridescence to them.
They shimmer in the lights, especially when a male lyrebird shakes its feathers as part of a mating dance.
The superb lyrebird also has two long main feathers; these are patterned with alternating strips of white and brown.
While the colors of a lyrebird’s tail may be more muted than others, their incredible fathers and shimmering shades definitely make the superb lyrebird stand out.
Final Thoughts
The Earth is home to countless incredible species of birds.
This list only scratches the surface of some incredible species out there, and there are plenty more that we haven’t covered that have even more beautiful and fantastically colored tail feathers!
With their incredible designs, bright colors, and beautiful iridescence, a bird’s tail can truly be a sight to behold.
If you’re ever lucky enough to see one of these birds in person, make sure you take a look at their tails – you won’t be disappointed!
