Most Colorful Birds on the Planet (And Where to Find Them)
There’s something special about colorful birds. In this post, you’ll learn about 26 of the most colorful birds in the world – with tons of facts and photos. I don’t know about you, but when I catch a glimpse of something flashy fluttering by, I can’t help but get excited.
1. Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise
Latin name: Diphyllodes respublica
Unique colorful feature: Blue “bonnet” crown
Where they are found: Indonesia
Size: Length: 6.3 inches 16 cm (6.3 in); Weight 1.8 to 2.2 ounces (52 to 67 g)
Diet: insects and fruit
One glimpse of the Wilson’s bird of paradise and you’ll think it’s wearing a blue bonnet on its head. That blue crown is actually bare skin with black feathers crisscrossing it.
A yellow nape, red back, green breast, and violet feet complete this bird’s colorful ensemble. As a fancy accessory, the male boasts long violet-blue tail feathers that split into two spirals and a light yellow color on the inside of his mouth.
The blue, green, and violet colors are caused by structural color as opposed to pigmented color. I find structural color fascinating because you don’t always see the color the same way, it needs to catch the right light to be at its brightest.
Wilson’s bird-of-paradise species live in the lowland rainforests of Eastern Indonesia, Australia, and Papua New Guinea, feeding on fruits and insects.
The male has a funny mating ritual in which he diligently sweeps his territory clean of leaves and other debris before calling his mate and displaying his feathers to her in a courtship dance.
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