Discover the World’s Weirdest Birds: From the Monkey-Eating Philippine Eagle to the Stinky Hoatzin

There’s no lack of birds in this world. While the common consensus has long been that there are anywhere between 9,000 and 10,000 species on the planet, a study from the American Museum of Natural History suggests the number could be twice that. That’s a lot of birds, including many species besides the more common blue jays, cardinals, and hummingbirds. The more exotic avian species often appear funny-looking or strange to us, and while we can’t document every strange bird species on the planet, we’ve created a list containing eight of the weirdest birds in the world.

8. Philippine Eagle — Devourer of Monkeys

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), the national bird of the Philippines, easily takes the cake as one of the weirdest birds in the world. This isn’t surprising considering it’s known as the monkey-eating eagle, and macaques are one of its favorite dietary choices. But it’s not a picky eater. With an average weight of 10 to 18 pounds and a wingspan of six and a half feet, Philippine eagles are capable of taking down everything from bats to civets.

Philippine eagles are also just strange-looking birds. The funny mess of brown feathers on the top of their head makes them look like they’re having a bad hair day every day. It’s one of the rarest birds on the planet as well. It is found in the Philippines, with fewer than 800 surviving in the wild, making it a critically endangered species.

7. Kakapo — A Parrot Like No Other

With an average weight of four to nine pounds and a height of two feet, the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is easily the largest parrot on the planet. It’s also the only parrot species that isn’t capable of flight. Despite that, the relatively stubby wings of the kakapo serve it well. Their stubby wings help them maintain a sense of balance and allow them to glide from branches and treetop canopies. They’re quite strong runners and great climbers. The kakapo is only found in New Zealand. These slow-moving birds are friendly and were once a favored pet among the indigenous Maori. Unfortunately, they’re also a critically endangered species.

6. Kagu — The Ghost Bird of New Caledonia

The most immediately apparent feature of the kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus) is its plumage, an ashy white that’s earned it the nickname ghost of the forest. This unique and exotic bird is only found on the island chain of New Caledonia in the South Pacific Ocean, where it’s recognized as both a national symbol and an endangered species. That’s especially tragic considering what fascinating birds these are. Despite having large wings, these birds aren’t capable of flight. Instead, they primarily flap their wings to chase predators away from their young. It’s believed that the dark stripes on its wings provide a distraction.

Even without the power of flight, these weird birds are capable navigators. They are capable runners who have little difficulty hopping and weaving around the thick roots and rocks throughout their habitat. Those large wings keep them stable.

5. Tawny Frogmouth — Not to be Mistaken For an Owl

While you might mistake the facial features of the tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) for those of an owl, their lack of clawed talons prevents them from being classified as such. Without the ability to snatch up and disable prey from the air with their feet, they instead rely on their unique beaks to catch a meal. Their large mouths are highly precise when on the hunt, but these funny birds will also passively catch a meal by simply leaving their mouths open and hoping for insects to fly in.

It’s often a successful strategy thanks to the exceptional camouflaging of the tawny frogmouth’s feathers. When immobile, these birds blend right into tree trunks — and they’ll often adjust their position to better resemble a branch or limb. This unique combination of traits has made them some of the most beloved birds throughout their native range of Australia and Tasmania.

4. Southern Cassowary — Funny Looking But Dangerous

It’s easy to see how the Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) made it on our list. From their prodigious wattles, to heads that look like they’ve been splashed with a random assortment of colorful paints, and a distinct casque, the result is an interesting looking bird. The Southern cassowary is among the largest birds in the world, easily reaching weights of one hundred pounds or more.

The Southern cassowary has earned the dubious nickname ‘Murderbird,’ as it was responsible for the death of a child in Australia (1926) and a man in Florida (2019). The cassowary’s razor-sharp claws and kicking power are a deadly combination.

3. Burrowing Owl — Making the Most of Their Environment

The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is proof that animals can adapt to practically any condition. For the burrowing owl, that means venturing down into the earth rather than upward toward the sky. While they’re known to hunt from roosting spots, the comparative lack of dense forests and canopies in their habitats, which range across the Americas in open areas with little vegetation, has forced them to adapt. A burrowing owl is just as likely to be found chasing its prey on foot as it is to be found swooping down on them. Unlike most owl species, burrowing owls hunt by day.

2. Hoatzin — A Funky Smelling Avian

The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) looks like it was crafted together using spare parts from half a dozen random bird species, and the results make this one of the weirdest-looking birds in the world. Found in the depths of the Amazon, it displays a motley assortment of colors and patterns, along with talons that jut outward from its front limbs, making it an incredibly awkward bird.

While capable of flight, hoatzins are poor flyers whose escape strategy involves their young rolling out of the nest and into the water when a predator comes near. But the most dramatic characteristic of this dramatically bizarre bird is its stench. It has the trademark odor of manure and has earned the nickname stinkbird as a result. It’s recognized as one of the stinkiest animals in the world.

1. Magnificent Frigatebird — A Throat Like a Tomato

The inflated, bright crimson neck of the male magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) places it in the realm of the world’s weirdest birds. Males of this subtropical bird species can inflate the pouch around their neck until it looks like an enormous red balloon. And strangely enough, it seems as if this feature only exists as a mechanism for attracting mates. The pouch itself isn’t present in females of the species. Their expansive wingspans, which can reach up to eight feet in males, allow these exotic birds to fly long distances.