Ever questioned what position the neck serves? In addition to holding the top in place, after all.
Relying on the hen’s weight loss program and looking type, necks adapt to assist the hen survive. Not solely that however generally, they can be utilized to provide very distinct calls.
On this publish, we go over 15 examples of birds with lengthy necks, what special-purpose their necks serve, and how one can establish them. Let’s dig in!
15 Lovely Birds with Lengthy Necks
Normally, it’s straightforward to identify the complete size of a hen’s neck. In the meantime, in hunched stances, issues get a bit bit tough.
Let’s have a look:
1. Higher Flamingo
- Scientific identify: Phoenicopterus roseus
- Wingspan: 60 in
- Size: 36-50 in
- Weight: 8.75 lbs
Maybe the primary picture that pops to thoughts while you say birds with lengthy necks is the enduring flamingo. With pink plumage and unimaginable steadiness, the flamingo is definitely a head-turner.
But, essentially the most fascinating characteristic about it’s that its neck is lengthy and extremely versatile, due to the 19 vertebrae positioned there!
Creator Observe: The flexibleness of the flamingo’s neck does extra than simply give it a pleasant coat-hanger look. It additionally helps the hen decide small fish, plankton, and larvae from shallow waters.
Figuring out flamingoes, usually, shouldn’t be difficult. They’re probably the one tall, pink birds with extremely lengthy necks within the space.
2. Frequent Ostrich
- Scientific identify: Struthio camelus
- Wingspan: 79 in
- Size: 82-110 in
- Weight: 245 lb
Flaunting its 40-in neck, the Ostrich is, palms down, one of the vital frequent birds with an extended neck.
Very like the flamingo, the Ostrich has 19 vertebrae in its neck. That’s 12 extra vertebrae than a giraffe!
Whereas they’re greater than able to bending their necks that far, it’s not true that Ostriches bury their heads within the sand.
As a substitute, they’ll lay it down parallel to the bottom. From a distance and with the proper angles, it would appear like its head is sticking down within the sand. That’s most likely how the parable of head burying began going round.
Wild Ostriches aren’t as frequent as they was once, however they’re bred on farms throughout Europe, America, and Africa.
3. Australian Emu
- Scientific identify: Dromaius novaehollandiae
- Wingspan: 8 in
- Size: 70 in
- Weight: 66-121 lb
Emus are generally thought-about the ostriches of Australia. They’re each extremely giant birds, however they don’t belong to the identical household.
The flightless Emu hen can solely be present in Australia, and it’s identified for its iconically lengthy and fuzzy neck. On the neck, there’s a 12-in inflatable sac that helps amplify the Emu’s name for about 1.2 miles.
Apparently, the identify Dromaius is Greek for “runner.” That’s as a result of Emus are very quick, and so they can handle as much as 30 mph.
A enjoyable little distinction between Emus and Ostriches is the toes. Emus have three, whereas Ostriches have solely two. But, Ostriches are sooner at 40 mph.
4. Black Swan
- Scientific identify: Cygnus atratus
- Wingspan: 62-78 in
- Size: 43-55 in
- Weight: 8-19 lb
Black Swans are so majestic-looking that they’ll really feel a bit imaginary. You would possibly know them from Tchaikovsky’s ballet as being the evil twin to the pious white swan, however that doesn’t do these darkish birds justice.
Creator Observe: When the Black swan is swimming, you’ll largely see solely black plumage on the hen’s face, physique, and 60-in neck. Distinction all that with a vibrant pink beak with a single white stripe.
Whilst you can spot the well-known swan in lots of components throughout northern Europe, it’s a extra frequent resident in Australia. Because it occurs, the Black Swan is Western Australia’s official hen and emblem.
Don’t rush the identification, although. It’s just like one other one of many well-known Australian hen, the Magpie Goose.
5. Magpie Goose
- Scientific identify: Anseranas semipalmata
- Wingspan: 60 in
- Size: 27-35 in
- Weight: 4-6 lb
The Magpie Goose is the final of the long-extinct household, Anseranatidae. Fortunately, their inhabitants is steady.
When the hen is dipped down within the water, the primary stuff you’ll discover are the lengthy black neck and pink beak. That’s why it’s doable to confuse it with the Black Swan, particularly from a distance.
Nonetheless, it’s not all tough to inform them aside as soon as you see the goose’s largely white physique. The beak can be not as a lot of a daring pink because the Black Swan.
You’ll be able to even use geography that will help you inform each waders aside. The swan is extra frequent within the western components, whereas the magpie prefers the northern and japanese coasts.
6. Canada Goose
- Scientific identify: Branta canadensis
- Wingspan: 50-67 in
- Size: 30-43 in
- Weight: 6.5-19 lb
The chunky and noisy Canada Goose can sport a 15-in-long neck. This elongated neck is the principle distinction between the B. canadensis and the Cackling Goose. Plus, the Cackling Goose has a white-collar on the base of the neck that’s lacking on the Canada Goose.
You would possibly discover the Canada Goose in components of Europe because it was launched there from North America.
Recognizing them in a flock is very easy since they are usually a little bit of a nuisance in giant teams, particularly in open grasslands.
Should you get shut sufficient to at least one, you’ll have the ability to discover the white band-like upside-down stripe on its test. That’s the principle identifiable characteristic.
7. Inexperienced Heron
- Scientific identify: Butorides virescens
- Wingspan: 25.2-26.8 in
- Size: 16-18 in
- Weight: 8.5 oz
Most herons have lengthy necks, however what’s significantly distinctive is that they often undertake a stance that makes them appear just about and not using a neck.
Should you evaluate that to a heron extending its neck totally throughout looking or consuming, odds are that you just’d be shocked that they’re even the identical hen!
This neck stretching can shortly flip the heron from an adorably stocky hen to a fierce predator trying to find prey.
Creator Observe: All in all, Inexperienced Herons are very plentiful in North and Central America. Whether or not you’re round freshwater or saltwater, hold your eyes out for them throughout the summer time, and also you’ll most likely spot one, hopefully with its neck prolonged!
8. Nice Egret
- Scientific identify: Ardea alba
- Wingspan: 55 in
- Size: 32 in
- Weight: 2.2 lb
Egrets are giant all-white herons with a pointy yellow beak and impressively lengthy S-shaped necks.
As waders, they use these lengthy necks to ship a demise blow to their fish prey and swallow them entire.
The Nice Egrets is plentiful in wetlands everywhere in the world, particularly within the south. They solely are likely to journey up north throughout the summers.
In North America, they vary in Maine, Texas, and Florida, however their inhabitants is declining in Connecticut.
They tolerate each contemporary and saltwater, so that you would possibly discover them in marshes, streams, ponds, lakes, and even flat mud. Nonetheless, they have a tendency to desire uninhabited shores.
9. Anhinga
- Scientific identify: Anhinga anhinga
- Wingspan: 44.4 in
- Size: 35 in
- Weight: 38.8 oz
Slender and sleek, the anhinga is an environment friendly waterbird that lives year-round in Florida and is often known as the water turkey.
The phrase “Anhinga” means “snake hen” within the Brazilian Tupi, and when you have a look at the hen from head to neck, it does look a bit like a inexperienced snake.
It makes use of its robust neck muscular tissues and pointed beak as a spear to dart its fish prey from shallow waters.
The Australian selection (Anhinga novaehollandiae) has the identical profile however in a black and white colour palette.
10. Kori Bustard
- Scientific identify: Ardeotis kori
- Wingspan: 24-30 in
- Size: 41-50 in
- Weight: 12-42 lb
The kori’s neck isn’t solely lengthy, but it surely’s additionally very thick. In reality, your entire physique is so dense that it’s thought-about considered one of Africa’s largest flying birds. It largely stays on the bottom and resorts to flight solely in instances of hazard.
With its vermiculated grey neck, the kori sucks out the water as an alternative of scooping it up like nearly all of different birds.
Throughout the breeding season, the neck feathers are erected in order that the male can proceed with the courtship dance.
The Kori Bustard prefers dwelling in savannas, grasslands, and even deserts, however for essentially the most half, they are usually discovered close to water sources.
11. Sandhill Cranes
- Scientific identify: Antigone canadensis
- Wingspan: 80 in
- Size: 37 in
- Weight: 7-11 lb
Sandhill Cranes are largely grey with rust-like spots that fade a bit into the lengthy neck plumage. The neck appears thicker on the base and narrows considerably because it will get to the top.
Throughout the lengthy neck, cranes have a coiling trachea that produces a novel rolling trumpet-like name.
Prime Tip: One other distinguished characteristic within the crane’s profile is the pink spot proper above the attention. This crown can solely be seen on grownup birds.
The Sandhill Cranes are nearly unique to North America. A standard sighting spot is the gathering of cranes amongst many different species on the Platter River in Nebraska throughout the early spring.
12. Marabou Stork
- Scientific identify: Leptoptilos crumeniferus
- Wingspan: 86-110 in
- Size: 47-51 in
- Weight: 10-17 lb
The Marabou is a big scavenger with an exceptionally weird-looking neck. Its neck is bared right down to a pinkish tone, and on the base, there’s a big gular sac that the hen inflates to indicate dominance.
When it hunches again, the gular sac appears like an extension of the naked neck, making it look even longer than it really is.
It won’t appear like essentially the most stored hen, however for some time, the tail feathers (referred to as the Marabou down) had been used as ornaments for headwear.
13. Crying Chook (Florida Limpkin)
- Scientific identify: Aramus guarauna
- Wingspan: 42 in
- Size: 28 in
- Weight: 46 oz
The crying hen can be known as the carrao, courlan, and Limpkin. Its plumage sample appears rather a lot like a heron with white streaks throughout its head and neck.
The male birds have such an unusually mournful cry that seems like wailing. It may be fairly unsettling, particularly throughout the evening.
Within the U.S, you possibly can solely see the Limpkin in Florida and southern Georgia. As a substitute, they largely unfold over Central and South America.
So, the following time you’re in peninsular Florida and listen to a distant cry, hold your eyes out for the limpkin with its streaked neck!
14. Southern Cassowary
- Scientific identify: Casuarius casuarius
- Wingspan: 60-80 in
- Size: 5.8 ft
- Weight: 120-167 lb
The cassowary’s vibrant blue neck is longer than 7 in, and it holds two pink wattles that grasp downward.
On the rear facet of the neck, the pores and skin is a daring pink. All these are sure-fire methods of figuring out the Southern Cassowary. General, they appear like a real dinosaur descendant.
They won’t appear like it with their cumbersome our bodies and dense plumage, however they’re really good swimmers!
Prime Tip: The blue-necked hen may be noticed in northern Queensland, New Guinea, and the japanese components of Indonesia.
Nonetheless, the cassowary’s booing name could be very loud, and odds are you’ll hear it lengthy earlier than you see the hen. They typically stamp their toes together with the echoing name. As soon as the hen is conscious of you, they’ll stand tall and lengthen their necks to seem bigger.
Watch out, although. Their claw assaults may be fairly harmful, and so they gained’t shrink back from scaring an intruder away.
15. Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture
- Scientific identify: Gyps fulvus
- Wingspan: 95-110 in
- Size: 37-47 in
- Weight: 13-24 lb
You won’t have the ability to inform at first look, however the Griffon Vulture has fairly the lengthy neck below all that ruff.
In addition to giving it a really intimidating silhouette, the lengthy neck permits the vulture to succeed in deep into the prey’s carcass with out snagging or struggling.
As fascinating as that sounds, the vulture has much more distinctive traits occurring in his favor.
As an illustration, they’ve an extremely aerodynamic bullet-shaped physique. To shed further weight, a whole lot of their bones are pneumatized.
Plus, their respiratory techniques are extremely tailored to take advantage of out of the least quantity of oxygen obtainable. Because of this, they’ll fly as much as a whopping 37,000 ft into the air!
Ultimate Ideas
That’s a wrap on our record of birds with lengthy necks. By now, we hope it’s a bit simpler to establish birds and perceive how their anatomy serves their way of life!
FAQ
It’s all to do with meals. Whether or not it’s to succeed in up excessive or low, the neck helps the hen survive.
Birds just like the Nice Egret has an extended neck so it may stab it into the water to catch fish however may maintain in near the physique when it’s flying.
Sure and fairly lengthy too. Some birds maintain their necks so near their physique that it appears like they haven’t any neck. The Inexperienced Heron is a good instance of this.