Uncover the secrets behind their extraordinary beaks and what they reveal about their lifestyles.
In the animal kingdom, bird beaks are like Swiss Army knives—versatile tools adapted to suit each bird’s unique needs. But sometimes, evolution takes a wildly unexpected turn, resulting in beaks that are as strange as they are functional.
From corkscrew shapes to spoon-like structures, these odd adaptations might seem impractical at first glance, but they serve fascinating purposes.
Weirdest bird beaks
Shoebill
It’s quite easy to see how this bird got its name thanks to its strange long (between 18.8 to 24 cm) shoe-shaped bill, which is perfectly adapted to prey on fish in aquatic vegetation. It also helps give the bird its prehistoric look.
Sword billed hummingbird
This extraordinary long beak of the aptly-named swordbilled hummingbird doesn’t look in the least bit practical – but it is.
This bird’s amazing beak, which can reach lengths of about 12cm, is longer than its body, allowing it to access nectar from the longest, thinnest blooms that other hummingbird beaks can’t reach.
This extraordinary beak earned the swordbilled hummingbird a place on our weirdest birds list
Hornbill
The hornbill’s beak is instantly recognisable, for not only is it large but it also has a weird structure on the top of it.
The casque, as it’s called, is a hollow structure on top of the beak and serves multiple purposes. It is used as visual signal of sexual maturity, as a resonating chamber for calls, and for aerial jousting during mating season.
Toucan
Who doesn’t love the toucan’s gaudy colourful, over-sized beak? And the title of bird with biggest beak belongs to the toco toucan (above) whose gaudy beak accounts for up to a third of its body surface area, who takes the accolade of bird with largest beak.
Australian Pelican
This beak – with its massive throat pouch – would come in very handy when the last drinks are called in a pub, as when fully extended it can hold up to 13 litres. Fab for quickly finishing a pint so you can quickly order another…
Between 40-50cm long the beak is particularly sensitive so it can locate fish easily in murky water, while a hook at the end of the upper jaw for gripping slippery prey.
Spoonbills
We all know how useful spoons are for spooning up every last mouthful of a tasty dessert and the beaks of the aptly-named spoonbills are equally up to the task – as their uniquely shaped bill helps them to feel for prey at the bottom of muddy waters and spoon, scrape and sieve tasty mouthfuls.
Crossbill
In many species beaks like this would be considered a deformity that would jeopardise a bird’s ability to eat and survive, however in red crossbills it’s an asset as it helps the crossbill extract seeds from conifer cones.
Discover more fascinating bird species and facts
- Meet the clever kea, New Zealand’s endangered Alpine parrot, whose curiosity – and taste for meat – gets it into trouble
- Discover the world’s oldest wild bird — still going strong in its 70s
- Do birds mate for life? Discover just how faithful they really are