Bearded Birds

Birds with beards are always an interesting sight. And while they may not have real facial hair like us humans, it can often look like it. So here are some of the top bearded birds and what you’ll want to know about them.

Wild Turkey

The male wild turkey has a beard that hangs from its breast. While the beard may look like hair it is actually made up of specialized feathers called meso-filoplumes. A small percentage of female turkeys may also have a beard. However, the beards on female birds are typically thinner and shorter than those of males.

Belgian Bearded D’Uccle

The Belgian bearded d’Uccle is not your average chicken. Not only is it famous for its sweet temperament but also the bushy collection of feathers around its neck that looks like a beard. It is a breed of bantam chicken that was developed in Belgium. This bearded bird also has luxurious-looking feathers on its feet known as “boots.”

Demoiselle Crane

This is the smallest species in the crane family. It has a plume of black neck feathers that extend down over its chest like a beard. The demoiselle crane also has white plumes extending from behind its eyes which can also make this bird look like it has hair on its head.

Inca Tern

The facial plumes of the Inca tern give it the appearance of having a curling beard or mustache. This unique-looking species feeds mainly on small fish which it swoops down to catch from the surface of the water with its pointy beak. It can be found along the Humboldt Current.

Greater Sage Grouse

The male greater sage grouse has a prominent beard on its chest. However, these bearded birds have a much more distinctive feature: the two yellow gular sacs on their necks which they inflate during their courtship display. The greater sage grouse is the largest grouse species in North America.

Bearded Woodpecker

This large woodpecker is found in a range of different habitats in Central Africa. It mainly feeds on insects, caterpillars, spiders, and sometimes small lizards. The male bearded woodpecker can clearly be identified by its distinctive red crown. In contrast, the female has a black crown.

Bearded Reedling

The bearded reedling is more of a bearded bird in name only since its markings do look more like a drooping black mustache than a beard. This species is also sometimes called the bearded parrotbill. Because it lives in large reed beds this small bird is more often heard than seen.

Great Blue Heron

A  bearded blue heron can be quite a sight, especially when its S-shaped necked is tucked into its shoulders which can make it seem as if its beard is coming straight from the bird’s chin. However, those long plume-like feathers actually stem from this regal bird’s lower neck. The great blue heron is the largest of all North American herons.

Bearded Vulture

These scary looking birds have black bristles under their chin which give them the appearance of a beard. This species is also known as the lammergeier vulture. And unlike other vultures, its diet consists mainly of bones.

Bearded Barbet

A tuft of black bristles surrounding the beak of the bearded barbet makes it seem as it has facial hair. These small bearded birds are closely related to both toucans and woodpeckers. And like their cousins the toucans, they also have serrated beaks which help them to eat fruit.

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