Last Updated on: July 9, 2024
It is no secret that birds are some of the most beautiful creatures that come with vibrant colors and shapes, but did you know that some come with an exceptional Mohawk? As an individual who loves this unique hairstyle, I’m jealous of some of these colorful crested birds, especially the male birds with some bright mohawks.
But…
Why do they have a Mohawk? Birds have a Mohawk for several reasons, but the main one is mating. This beautiful hairstyle helps a male bird attract a mate; unfortunately, not every bird has a Mohawk, so if you want to know more about birds with mohawks, please read on…
13 Birds With Mohawks
Mohawk is an exceptional hairstyle that was popularized in the 1970s and 1980s by punk bands. But the origin of this unique hairstyle can be traced back to the Mohawk nation, where men wore this hairstyle proudly. In bird psychology, what looks like a mohawk is referred to as a crest.
The crest is composed of some specialized feathers known as semiplume feathers that are flexible and smooth.
These crests do more than just increase the beauty of these birds. They also help males attract females during the mating season
Let’s go straight to the most common and coolest birds with a mohawk:
1. Andean Cock-Of-The-Rock
Mohawks come in a wide range of colors; some are birds that have multicolored crests, while others, like the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock come with an utterly orange mohawk. As its name suggests, this breed is native to the Andean cloud forests. This mohawk bird is considered the national bird of Peru.
The males live together and they only separate during mating to mate with the female bird. But as soon as the mating season is over, the males leave the females to take care of the eggs alone.
When the mating season starts, the males gather and compete for the female attention using their unique disk-like mohawk, hopping and bobbing, and using certain types of calls.
They feed on little mice, insects, and small reptiles. They weigh about 0.26kg with a maximum length of about 35cm.
2. Grey Crowned Crane
Birds have beautiful mohawks, but nothing stands out more than the one on the Crowned Crane. Thanks to the unique crown on its head, which commands attention, this bird with the mohawk are the bird species’ royalty.
It has a golden mohawk and is considered the national bird of Uganda.
The Grey Crowned Crane is native to the African continent, where it occupies the dry savannah and wetlands. Other than its unique crown, another thing that stands out about this bird is that they’re monogamous—the Crowned crane mates with only one mate during the breeding season.
The crown comes in handy during the mating season when this bird with a mohawk uses it to attract the females while jumping, calling, and dancing. Another impressive thing about this bird is that it has a wingspan of about 78.7 inches and a height of about 39.4 inches.
3. Crested Partridge
Like most birds, only the male Crested partridge has a red mohawk. This bird is native to Southeastern Asia; unfortunately, its numbers have decreased over the last few years, thanks to deforestation. Their red head feathers contrast with the black plumage creating a beautiful creature rarely seen in the wild.
This Asian bird can be found foraging in the rainforests of southern Burma from Borneo, Malaysia, to Thailand. They love comfort; hence, they build their nests using leaves. These birds can be found foraging for seeds and fruits in the wild.
They’re monogamous creatures and a pair can be found foraging together and communicating using some low whistles.
4. Victoria Crowned Pigeon
When most bird-lovers think about mohawk birds, they rarely think about the Victoria crowned pigeon about pigeons, which is a significant oversight. After all, some pigeons have a crest, including birds like the Victoria crowned pigeon. Named after the former queen of England, Queen Victoria, this bird resides in New Guinea’s swampy forest.
Hunting and continued habitat loss have resulted in the IUCN labeling it as near threatened.
It comes with a blue crest and feeds on insects, worms, seeds, and fruits. The western crowned pigeon is another crowned pigeon that stands out thanks to its mohawk.
5. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
As one of the world’s most recognizable birds with mohawk, this huge can be easily spotted from miles away. Other than the vast size that makes them stand out, the Sulphur crested cockatoo has a big yellow mohawk which they use to express themselves.
Their long lifespan and intelligence make them quite famous in the pet trade.
They can be found foraging throughout northern and eastern Australia and New Guinea. They prefer the moist lowland areas and urban regions with trees. Like some birds, the IUCN has listed them as birds of least concern due to their abundance, but some folks still consider the sulphur crested cockatoo pests.
These huge birds use their yellow mohawks to attract females during the mating seasons and while dancing to music.
6. Spinifex and Crested Pigeons
Despite being home to some of the most beautiful pigeons on the planet, the two Australian pigeons that stand out thanks to mohawks are Spinifex and Crested pigeons. The pigeons are 2 of the four endemic Australian species belonging to the Geophaps genus.
These pigeons have long mohawks along with bronzed coloring for the ultimate camouflage.
The Crested love a more open habitat, while the Spinifex loves the rocky terrain. But since they have to drink water often, you can find them living near a river, lake, or stream. This bird with a mohawk feeds on small invertebrates, leaves, grass, and dry seeds.
7. Philippine Eagle
As an apex predator, the Philippine eagle is known for eating a wide range of prey, including reptiles, rats, bats, small deer, other birds, and monkeys.
Other than having a fantastic mohawk, this monkey-eating eagle is considered the most extended eagle on the planet, weighing between 8.9 and 17.6 pounds, and its height ranges between 2.8 and 3.3 feet.
They can live for over 60 years despite their weight and height. It is native to the Philippines and can be found in some of the old-growth forests across most Philippine islands. They have a vast manelike crest which is usually streaked with creamy white and brown feathers.
Unfortunately, the IUCN has listed it as critically endangered thanks to environmental pollution and habitat loss.
8. Umbrella Cockatoo
Our list would be incomplete without the addition of the Umbrella Cockatoo bird. After all, very few birds with a substantial white mohawk can live for up to 60 years in captivity. But in the wild, this white bird with mohawk can live for ten years.
This white bird with mohawk is endemic to the tropical rainforest of the Indonesian islands. When surprised, the Umbrella Cockatoo extends its striking and enormous head crest, which resembles an umbrella, to scare its enemies away.
The Umbrella Cockatoo may be white, but wait until it spreads its wings, and you will be surprised by the lemon or pale yellow colors on its wings and tail.
There are many cockatoo species out there, but only the white cockatoo has a white crest. The others have pink, orange, or yellow crests. Due to the illegal trade of these birds, their numbers have been decreasing at a speedy rate in the Indonesian islands.
9. Cockatiel
Also referred to as the Weird bird, the cockatiel belongs to the parrot family endemic to Australia. The average height of this prized bird ranges between 12 and 13 inches. This species has 2 color pigments; one provides yellow color to their tail and face, while the other provides grey in their beak, eyes, and feathers.
The cockatiel is one of the world’s prized companion parrots and household pets that are very easy to breed.
In fact, like a caged bird, the cockatiel’s popularity is second only to the budgerigar. Cockatiels have an average lifespan ranging between 10 and 14 years. They’re only found in Australia in large populations; they live in places where food can be easily accessed.
10. Himalayan Monal
You have not seen the most beautiful multicolored bird until you see the male Himalayan Monal. This colorful bird is part of the Phasianidae family, with a maximum length of between 20 and 28 inches.
The male has beautiful feathers that are coppery in color and a greenish metallic crest.
Its beautiful color can only be seen when it is flying into the sky. On the other hand, the females have an exceptional white mark on their throat and tail. These beautiful birds live at an altitude of between 2100ft and 5000ft in Bhutan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and India.
11. The Palm Cockatoo
Arguably, the world’s biggest cockatoos that are found in Australia, the palm Cockatoos have some red face patches and a huge black body.
Another interesting fact about this parrot is that they have the biggest beaks of all parrots.
They’re native to the Cape York Peninsula, Aru Islands, and New Guinea. They usually use their considerable beaks to break some thick sticks for a drumming display. They can easily break an inch thick stick using their beaks.
12. Pileated Woodpecker
As one of the biggest woodpeckers on the planet, this bird is nearly the size of a crow. It’s primarily black and red, but wait until it spreads its wings, and you will be surprised by the white color underneath its wings.
It’s the world’s third-biggest woodpecker, right after the black and the great slaty woodpeckers.
The males have a red stripe on their cheeks. The pileated woodpecker can be found in the eastern American states and across Canada.
13. The Golden Pheasant
You can mention the royalty of the bird kingdoms without mentioning the rockstar of the entire kingdom, the Golden Pheasant.
Like rockstars, it comes crowned with a bright orange mohawk and black and red banded cape running down its neck.
This small bird loves hiding in the woodland, and despite its colors, it can be tough to spot. Even though it’s native to China, just like the silver pheasant, this tiny bird with a crest can also be found in Central America.
Watch This!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Chickens With Mohawks?
Yes, there are over seven chicken breeds with mohawks, with the common one being the Appenzeller Spitzhauben. This breed has a unique crest composed of black and white feathers, and it’s recognized as the national bird of Switzerland. Other species include Polish, Pavlovskaya, Crevecoeur, Silkie, and Brabanter.
What Are the Ducks With Mohawks?
There are several ducks with mohawks, with the common one being the wood duck, which has an exceptional indecent green mohawk. The wood ducks are the most beautiful ducks in North America.
Do Cardinals Have Mohawks?
Yes, both the female and male birds have a stylish mohawk called a crest. Remember, a cardinal is a backyard bird that you can easily attract to your bird feeder.
Conclusion
Most birds can grow a mohawk; some have it only during the mating seasons, while others have it for the rest of their lives. When the mohawk is pronounced, it becomes part of the bird’s name, for example, Grey Crowned Crane. Other than mating, some birds use their controllable crests to display aggression.
Some species like Cockatiels and Cockatoos raise their crest to frighten other birds. So the next time you see a bird with a beautiful crest, you should remember that it does more than beautify the bird.