10 of the World's Most Rare and Unique Birds

Scientists have combed the globe and identified the 100 most unique and rare birds on the planet. Here are 10 of them.


Scientists hailing from Yale University and the Zoological Society of London have combed the globe and identified the 100 most unique and rare birds on the planet.

Here are the top 10.

Number 10. Sumatran Ground-cuckoo. This bright-eyed beauty hails from its namesake locale, but it's so rare, not much else is known about it. There could be as few as 70 left in existence.

Number 9. Christmas Island Frigatebird. Gifted with the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any know bird family, the Australian airborne wonder can stay aloft for up to a week at a time. It's only considered a protected species while perched in Christmas Island National Park, though.

Number 8. Philippine Eagle. A stunner to be sure, this eagle is also one of the biggest, most forceful birds of prey out there. Its reported meal preferences include pigs and bats. Their declining population is currently estimated at between 180 and 500.

Number 7. Forest Owlet. Thought to be extinct, a forest owlet was spotted in central India in 1997. Prior to that one hadn't been seen for over a hundred years. They hunt both night and day and are spotted from time to time but experts fear that due to habitat loss, the little owl's future is grim.

Number 6. Bengal Florican. Definitely the show bird of the crowd, the male of the species is known for the elaborate performance it gives to lure in the ladies. The thousand or so thought to exist are concentrated primarily in India and Nepal, as well as Cambodia.

Number 5. Kagu. Lacking the muscles needed for flight, the striking plumage of this ground dwelling bird does allow it to glide. Often called the 'ghost of the forest', the Kagu of New Caledonia makes a barking noise that can be heard a mile away. Over the years significant numbers of them have fallen prey to natural predators such as cats and dogs.

Number 4. Kakapo. This non-flying parrot from New Zealand has been almost completely wiped out by hunting, the destructions of forests, and the introduction of new species that compete with it for food. Survivors were relocated to carefully managed small islands and now the population has expended to around 125.

Number 3. California Condor. The condor figures prominently in Native American mythology and rituals, some of which involved the sacrifice of the birds. But the biggest culprits to their decline were hunting and environmental changes, and by 1981 there were only around 20 left. Huge efforts have been put into their repopulation, and now there are over 400.

Number 2. New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar. Only 2 examples are known, and they're both in the possession of museums. Actual live specimens have proven elusive and a sighting hasn't been reported since 1998. Lack of evidence aside, it's believed they're still out there but with numbers less than 50.

Number 1. Giant Ibis. The bird is enormous, with an average one standing about 3 and-a-half feet tall. It's also critically endangered, having already been declared extinct in Thailand. Those remaining live primarily in Cambodia, but some have been documented in Vietnam and Laos.