Most Colorful Birds on the Planet (And Where to Find Them)

1. Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise

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.