Birds use their beaks the same way humans use their hands; as such, they come in a range of shapes and sizes specialized to their needs.
In the case of color, though, the hue of their bills often serves as a means of attracting mates, with more eye-catching shades proving a male’s prowess amongst the competition.
Read on to learn about some of our planet’s most intriguing birds with orange beaks.
Contents
1. Abyssinian Scimitarbill
Hailing from Africa, the Abyssian scimitarbill features a long, curved beak similar to the blade of a scimitar, after which it gets its name.
2. African Skimmer
This duo-toned river bird closely resembles a tern. Their orange beaks have a longer lower mandible than upper, allowing them to “skim” the water for fish.
3. American White Pelican
American white pelicans are one of the largest North American birds. They are iconic thanks to their massive expandable beak pouch that stretches to accommodate large scoops of fish-filled water.
4. Atlantic Puffin
The Atlantic puffin is a charming member of the auk family with a bright orange bill contrasting sharply against its more demure plumage.
5. Bateleur
Bateleur eagles are quite a spectacle, providing dramatic aerial displays complete with dives, clapping wings, and gymnast-level stunts.
6. Black Laughingthrush
Despite their rather plain plumage, the black laughingthrush– which calls Thailand, Sumatra, and Malaysia home– sports a conspicuous scarlet-orange beak.
7. Black Oropendola
While most of the black oropendola’s beak is dark grey or black, the tip comes in bright orange or yellow.
8. Black-and-Gold Cotinga
The rather orb-shaped black-and-gold cotinga looks quite plain when spotted from behind, but the bird’s flair for the dramatic is revealed with a profile view.
9. Black-Bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied whistling ducks have an unusual appearance thanks to their long legs, mohawk crest, and peach-colored beak.
10. Cattle Egret
The helpful cattle egret spend their days foraging for insects that settle on cattle, picking through the bovine fur to get their meals.
11. Crested Auklet
With its ridiculous plume of wispy feathers in the middle of its forehead, it’s hard to miss the Alaskan crested auklet as it flocks over the Bering Sea and the northern Pacific Ocean.
12. Crested Caracara
Crested caracara, or Mexican eagles, are not eagles at all. These members of the falcon family stand out as the only ones to build their own nests.
13. Crowned Hornbill
If you’ve seen the Disney classic Lion King, you might recognize this stern-looking bird. While most of their beaks are orange, they have a brilliant yellow highlight at the base.
14. Dusky Lory
The dusky lory is a shock of brilliant tones from toe to tip. This parrot has green, orange, black, and red stripes to complement its tangerine-colored beaks.
15. Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus parrots are one of the most prominent cases of sexual dimorphism in the animal kingdom, as only the males come in a bright, verdant green with orange beaks. The females are crimson red with dark blue or black beaks.
16. Elegant Tern
The elegant tern lives up to its name, with its long crest of inky black feathers covering its head. They use their long, narrow beaks to snatch unsuspecting anchovies from the ocean.
17. Fuegian Steamer Duck
Covered in light-grey freckles, the Fuegian steam duck is a South American species with enormous, webbed feet to travel, as it cannot fly. Their bills are the same ocherous shade as their iconic locomotors.
18. Golden Crested Myna
The myna birds are in the same group as starlings and have bright yellow caps that serve as their namesake.
19. Great Blue Heron
Herons are well-known for their majestic flight patterns and stiletto-like posture they assume as they stalk the water for fish. They use their long, sharp beaks like a dagger while hunting.
20. Greater White-Fronted Goose
The stocky greater white-fronted goose more closely resembles a duck than its Canada or Emden brethren.
21. Green Oropendola
Green oropendola inhabit the Amazon basin. Their beaks are pale pink but end in a much more vibrant orange shade at the tip.
22. Green Wood Hoopoe
Resembling a jumbo-sized hummingbird, the green wood hoopoe has iridescent green, blue, and black plumage with a carrot-colored beak.
23. Greylag Goose
The greylag goose is an ancestor of the more common domestic goose, though they have dusky grey feathers rather than white.
24. Heermann’s Gull
For beachgoers close to the Gulf of Mexico, the Heermann’s gull is a common sight.
25. ʻIʻiwi
The Hawaiian I’iwi, pronounced ee-ee-vee, is also known as the Hawaiian honeycreeper. It has a dramatically downward curving beak to sip nectar from flowers.
26. Inca Tern
With its dapper white “mustache,” the Inca tern is one of the most unusual orange-beaked birds on the planet. Its feathered facial hair is an indicator of good health.
27. Indian Blackbird
Indian blackbirds are closely related to common blackbirds, and they share a family resemblance in their midnight-colored plumage and bright orange beaks.
28. King Eider
The king eider is a duck, but its unusual head plate above its bright orange bills makes it look more like a tropical jungle bird.
29. Large Green Barbet
The beautiful large green barbet has a disproportionally large, pale orange beak relative to its size.
30. Monk Parakeet
Monk parakeets are charming little parrots with light, peachy beaks that end in a sharp hook. They are highly social birds that construct entire colonies of nests.
31. Mute Swan
Long associated with royalty, the mute swan’s downy white plumage and black eye mask make their bright orange beak stand out.
32. Northern Shoveler
Only juvenile female northern shovelers have orange bills, as they darken to their signature black once they reach maturity.
33. Orange-billed Sparrow
Thanks to its accurate and obvious moniker, it comes as no surprise that the orange-billed sparrow makes the list
34. Rainbow Lorikeet
Rainbow lorikeets are a species of Australian parrot with plumage in every color of the rainbow, including orange, red, and yellow beaks.
35. Red Lory
The vibrant colors and affectionate nature of the red lory make them a popular pet for experienced bird owners.
36. Red-winged Parrot
The red-winged parrot is endemic to Australia and New Guinea, where they thrive across various ecosystems, including forests, scrublands, and savannas.
37. Rhinoceros Hornbill
The enormous beak and casque of the rhinoceros hornbill led to its scientific name, Buceros rhinoceros, the first word of which means “horned like an ox.”
38. Semipalmated Plover
Semipalmated plovers are shorebirds with orange beaks, which they use to pluck insect eggs and worms out of the sand.
39. Spectacled Eider
Similarly to the king eider, the spectacled eider has strange head plumage that makes it quite a sight to behold. A layer of thick plumage spills over the top of their bills.
40. Surf Scoter
Surf scoters are one of the most unusual birds with orange beaks, as the white and black patches on their bills resemble another set of eyes.
41. Toco Toucan
When most people think of birds with orange beaks, they likely think of the toco toucan, whose multicolored mouth can grow up to 7 inches long.
42. Tufted Puffin
The tufted puffin looks similar to its cousin, the Atlantic puffin, including the thick, rounded beak. What sets them apart, though, is the soft yellow head plumes that resemble feathery eyebrows.
43. Violet Turaco
Violet turacos have many colors, including a pale yellow forehead patch that transitions sunset-like into their orange beak.
44. Wattled Curassow
Wattled curassows are stunning birds with orange beaks, elegant black plumage, caps of tightly coiled feathers, and wattles accenting their bills.
45. White-tailed Tropicbird
With their long, swooping tails and deadly aim on the water, white-tailed tropicbirds served as an omen of bad fortune to the Chamorro people of antiquity.
46. White-Throated Kingfisher
The straight, thick beak of the white-throated kingfisher serves it well as both a weapon for defending its territory and a tool for snapping up lizards, fish, and snakes.
47. Zebra Finch
Unfortunately for orange-beaked male zebra finch, researchers have discovered that the females prefer their red-beaked competitors.
Wrapping Up
Birds with orange beaks come in all shapes and sizes, from the iconic toco toucan to the curious rhinoceros hornbill.
Whether tangerine or apricot, carrot or coral, there’s no denying that a splash of color on the bill adds a touch of style to our feathered friends.