Top 10 Most Brilliantly-Colored Large Birds in the World

How many large birds can you consider colorful?

Most of the most colorful birds in the world are small species. Only a handful of large birds can be considered brightly-colored. Here are some of the few large sized birds in the world.

All the birds included on the list are more than 2 kilograms in weight.

1.) Ocellated Turkey

Image Source

One of the most beautifully colored large birds in the world is the Ocellated Turkey or formally known as Meleagris ocellata. It can be found in the Yucatan Peninsula. This relatively large bird can weigh up 7 kg or more. It can be found also in Guatemala and Belize. The largest specimen ever recorded was just short of 14 kg and 130 cm.

2.) Indian Peafowl

Image Source

The impressive Indian Peafowl is definitely a large colorful bird to hold. Its scientific name is Pavo cristatus. It is also commonly known as Blue Peafowl and is native to South Asia.

Image Source

This strikingly colorful bird is the national bird of India.  It can weigh up to 6 kg or more.

3.) Green Peafowl

Image Source

The brightly-colored Green Peafowl is a large colorful bird that inhabits the tropical forest of Southeast Asia. It is also commonly known as Javan Peafowl and is scientifically known as Pavo muticus. It is the longest gamebird species, if measured from the tip of the bill to the end of the long tail coverts.

Image Source

This large birds, one of the largest living Galliforms in terms of overall length and wingspan, grows up to 3 meters long, including the "train" and weighs up to 5 kg.

4.) Painted Stork

Image Source

The Painted Stork, as its common name implies, is a brilliantly-colored large bird. Its binomial is Mycteria leucocephala. This large wading bird inhabits the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in South Asia and extending into Southeast Asia. It can attain a weight of up to 5 kg.

5.) Takahe

Image Source

The Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) is a large colorful flightless bird native to South Island of New Zealand. This large bird is the largest living member of the Rallidae which can be as heavy as 4.2 kg. This stocky bird, with reduced wings, strong legs and a massive bill is also commonly known as South Island Takahe.

6.) Great Northern Loon

Image Source

The Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer) is a large uniquely patterned bird. It can attain a weight of up to 8 kg but on the average it can be 4.1 kg. It is also commonly known as Great Northern Diver or Common Loon.

7.) American Flamingo

Image Source

The American Flamingo or Phoenicopterus ruber is a large and colorful species of flamingo. It is also known as Caribbean Flamingo and is the only flamingo which naturally inhabits North America. It has a lifespan of 40 years, one of the longest in birds and can weigh up to 3 kg.

8.) Himalayan Monal

Image Source

The Himalayan Monal is a colorful large bird. Its binomial name is Lophophorus impejanus and is also commonly known as the Impeyan Monal, Impeyan Pheasant and Danphe. This bird that can weigh up to 2.5 kg is the national bird of Nepal.

9.) Palawan Peacock

Image Source

The Palawan Peacock-Pheasant or Polyplectron napoleonis, is a medium-sized bird with glossy and bright blue and green color. The male is handsomest and has an erectile crest, a white stripe over the eyes and highly iridescent metallic green and black plumage. The tail feathers are decorated with large blue-green ocelli, which may be spread fanlike in courtship displays.

10.) Bronze Turkey

Image Source

The heaviest domesticated turkey ever recorded weighed 37 kg. There are only few colorful domestic birds in the world. One of them is the Bronze Turkey, a domestic turkey breed. It can attain a weight of 10 kg or more making it possibly, the heaviest colorful bird on the planet.

See also

• The 20 Most Brilliantly-Colored Birds in the World
• The World’s Most Colorful Winged Creatures
• Extremely Colorful Small Birds
• 30 Most Colorful and Prettiest Pet Birdsin the World