There are a number of bird species that have distinctive feathers on their heads. The type of feather headpiece can vary from small crests to large, elaborate plumes. These specialized feathers likely serve a variety of functions for the birds, including communication, camouflage, and attracting mates. In this article, we will explore some of the most recognizable birds with feathered heads and what purpose their unique plumage serves.
Birds with Crests
Some birds have a crest of feathers on the top or back of their heads. These crests are made up of short, specialized feathers and are often used for communication and display. Here are some examples of crested birds:
| Bird | Description |
|---|---|
| Cockatoo | Cockatoos are known for their tall, fan-shaped crests that can be raised and lowered. The crest is used to communicate emotion and social status. |
| Cardinal | The male Northern Cardinal has a short crest on the top of its head. The crest may help camouflage the bird in vegetation. |
| Blue Jay | Blue Jays have a blue crest of feathers on the top of the head. The crest is small but can be raised up when excited or aggressive. |
Cockatoos and other crested parrots can actively control their head crests, raising them in displays of aggression or excitement. Crested songbirds like cardinals and blue jays have shorter, permanent crests that don’t move.
Birds with Plumes and Elaborate Feathers
Other birds have large, decorative feathers on their heads used for mating displays. These feathers are called plumage. Here are some examples:
| Bird | Description |
|---|---|
| Peacock | Male peafowl have extravagant head plumes made of long, iridescent tail feathers. Females choose males with the biggest, brightest displays. |
| Bird of Paradise | Males have elaborate head plumes used in mating dances. Plumes come in many shapes like fans, spirals, and wire-like filaments. |
| Lyrebird | Known for an extremely large tail, males also have decorative head plumes used to impress females. |
These decorative plumes are usually present only in the male birds. Their large size makes them cumbersome for daily life, but gives males an advantage when attracting mates. The most elaborate feathers indicate good health and fitness.
Bird Species with Distinctive Head Feathers
Now let’s look at some specific bird species known for their specialized head feathers and what purpose they serve.
Peacock
Peacocks are one of the most recognizable birds with flamboyant head feathers. The male peacock, known as a peacock, has a crest of shiny, iridescent feathers that can be erected into a fan-shaped display. This crest is made up of the peacock’s upper tail feathers, which can grow up to 5 feet long!
During mating season, peacocks will spread their tail feathers into a huge, shimmering fan. This vibrant display is meant to attract females and demonstrate the male’s fitness. The peahens (females) will choose the male with the biggest, brightest tail fan to mate with.
In addition to attracting mates, the peacock’s train of feathers may also intimidate rivals and predators. But such ostentatious plumage comes at a cost – the long tail feathers make peacocks slower and more conspicuous. The peacock must carefully balance attracting mates with avoiding danger.
Bird of Paradise
Birds of paradise are named for their beautiful and elaborate plumage. Found in New Guinea and eastern Australia, birds of paradise have evolved incredibly intricate feathers, especially on the head.
Males display these plumes in elaborate mating dances to attract females. Different species have unique feather adaptations like sweeping plumes, spirals, wire-like filaments, and bright facial disks. The shape and positioning of the feathers accentuates the bird’s movements during its dance.
Females carefully observe these mating rituals and choose the most attractive male to mate with. Males with the most impressive plumage and best dance moves sire the most offspring. Consequently, birds of paradise provide a striking example of how sexual selection can drive extreme feather evolution.
Lyrebird
Lyrebirds are named for the male’s spectacular tail feathers which resemble a lyre – an ancient stringed instrument. But lyrebirds also have distinctive head plumage.
Male lyrebirds have specialized feathers above the beak that can be fanned out during displays. Females have simpler head feathers. The male’s plumage is on full display when singing an elaborate, mimicked song to attract a mate.
The male lyrebird’s huge tail makes up 60% of its body length and is the largest tail relative to body size of any bird. While cumbersome during daily life, this massive spread of feathers impresses females during mating dances. After selecting a mate, the female will build the nest alone and raise the chicks.
Feather Crests and Camouflage
Some crested bird species use their specialized head feathers as a form of camouflage. By blending in with their surroundings, these crests help hide the birds from predators and prey.
Cardinal
The North American cardinal is recognized by its bright red plumage and small head crest. The crest is more prominent on males than females.
Cardinals live in woodlands, thickets, and wetlands, where their coloring helps them blend in among the bushes. The red plumage provides camouflage against reddish tree branches, flowers, and shrubs.
The crest may help break up the bird’s outline among vegetation to make it less conspicuous. The feathers allow cardinals to stay hidden as they hop through branches looking for seeds and insects.
Blue Jay
Like cardinals, blue jays sport a feather crest on their heads. But whereas cardinals have drab brown crests, the blue jay’s crest matches its brilliant blue feathers.
Found throughout eastern and central North America, blue jays live in forests with dense vegetation. When hopping amidst tree canopies, the jay’s colors and crest help camouflage it from above and below. The blue provides disguise against the sky, while the crest obscures the head among branches and leaves.
Blue jays will sometimes expand their crest when facing predators or rivals. This makes the bird look larger and more threatening.
Feather Crests and Communication
Beyond camouflage, crests also allow certain birds to communicate physical and emotional states. Crest position provides visual cues about mood, health, and dominance.
Cockatoo
Cockatoos are well known for their expressive crest of feathers. These crests can be raised and lowered both voluntarily and in response to mood.
Cockatoos will raise their crests in dominance displays, during courtship, when alarmed, and as a form of greeting. A relaxed, content cockatoo will keep its crest flat. An angry, startled, or excited cockatoo may raise its crest fully upright.
Because crest position reflects emotion so well, cockatoos make very communicative pets. However, crests can also betray cockatoos in nature. Predators can likely assess if a crested parrot is alarmed or distracted.
Trumpeter Hornbill
The trumpeter hornbill of Africa sports a long, pointed casque on top of its large bill. This hollow structure is a fusion of the external bill and protruding bone of the skull underneath.
The casque acts as a resonating chamber that amplifies the hornbill’s loud vocalizations. Air from the bird’s lungs vibrates inside the chamber, creating a trumpeting call that carries through the forest.
Females prefer males with larger casques, which indicate health, maturity, and dominance. Males will battle each other to establish territory and rank by performing bucking contests. The two males slam their casques together repeatedly until one succumbs.
Mating Displays with Specialized Feathers
Elaborate crests and plumes serve as a key part of courtship for certain bird species. The male displays these feathers in ritual mating dances to dazzle females and outcompete rivals.
Bird of Paradise
There are over 40 different species of birds of paradise, each with a distinct courtship dance used to attract mates. These dances incorporate specialized head feathers like sweeping plumes, spiral filaments, and bright facial disks.
The male birds jump and flutter about in trees and clearings, precisely positioning their unique plumage for maximum visual impact. The male’s stamina and synchronization during these dances demonstrate his strength and health.
Females watch the displays and select the most attractive male to mate with. The male provides no parental care, his only contribution being his dramatic feathers and dance moves.
Peacock
When a peacock is ready to mate, he unfurls his long train of iridescent tail feathers into a massive fan. The peacock will strut and shake his plumage to entice females.
A particularly impressive display occurs when the male turns around, obscuring his actual body behind a dazzling wall of shimmering feathers. This highlights the enormity of the train and overall brilliance of the peacock’s plumage.
Peahens are drawn to large trains with eye-shaped markings called ocelli. These signal good genes. By selecting males with outstanding trains, peahens will have more attractive, healthier offspring.
Head Feathers and Parental Care
While ornamental crests and plumes are useful for attracting mates, they can hinder parenting abilities. As a result, head feathers are strongly reduced or absent in birds that provide substantial parental care.
Cardinal
Male and female cardinals share important parenting duties, from nest building to chick feeding. As a result, neither sex can afford cumbersome plumage.
While the male cardinal retains some red color and a hint of a crest, his feathers are not elaborate like in closely related tropical birds. The smaller crest stays out of the way when feeding chicks in the nest or collecting food.
Cardinals molt and regrow all head and body feathers annually after breeding season. This helps ensure they have a fresh coat of useful feathers for next year’s offspring.
Bald Eagle
Male and female bald eagles have similar, non-ornamental plumage. With large chicks to provide for over an extended period, elaborate feathers would be detrimental.
Instead, bald eagles have specialized feathers that are excellent for hunting fish and protecting young. They have waterproofing oils that enable diving and swimming. For guarding the nest, bald eagles have long, broad wings suited for brief bursts of speed and maneuverability.
By sacrificing ornamentation for practicality, bald eagle parents can better provide food and protection for their offspring.
Conclusion
Bird species exhibit amazing diversity in the specialized feathers on their heads. While often ornate and elaborate, these crests, plumes, and other feathers serve important purposes.
Head feathers provide camouflage, protect mating rights, allow communication, enhance courtship displays, and intimidate predators. However, these benefits must be weighed against potential costs. Overly bulky feathers can inhibit flight, make hunting difficult, and even diminish parenting abilities.
The remarkable variety of feather adaptations seen in nature demonstrates evolution’s power to tailor form to function. By creatively utilizing head plumage, birds can better thrive in their environments and produce healthy offspring. Careful study of bird feathers provides insight into the selective pressures that shape survival and mating success.
