25+ Fabulous Birds With Mohawks (Inc. Awesome Photos)


One of the most magnificent things about birds is the huge range of shapes and colors across all species.

However, of all our feathered friends, it’s those that rock a mohawk that stands out!

If you’ve spotted a bird recently with a majestic mohawk, or you’re simply trying to tick as many off your bird-watching list as possible, you’ve come to the right place.

Below, we’ve listed 25 fabulous birds with mohawks. From the common Northern Cardinal to those that you may never have heard of before; they’re all here and they all sport that punk-rock hairstyle!

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal Photos

Common across most parts of Northern America, the male and female Northern Cardinal sport a small mohawk on the top of their head.

Males are bright red with a black mask, while females are a light brown color with a few red markings on their mohawk and wings. 

Extremely territorial, Northern Cardinals will do anything to defend themselves and their territory during the breeding season.

They’ve even been noted attacking their own reflections, believing they’re warding off a potential intruder.

Eurasian Hoopoe

Eurasian Hoopoe Photos

If you’re looking for a bird with a real standout mohawk, the Eurasian Hoopoe fits the bill perfectly.

Their rust-orange-colored mohawk is tipped with black feathers, and the entire crest can be raised in a dramatic display in order to attract a partner or defend their territory.

Native to Asia, North Africa, and Europe, the Eurasian Hoopoe also sports black and white wings, gray shoulders, and a pale orange breast.

It has also evolved super-strong muscles that allow them to sink their bill into the soil and open it in search of food. 

Crested Partridge

Crested Partridge Photos

One of the most colorful birds on our list, the Crested Partridge is covered with bright blue feathers and has a scarlet-red mohawk on the top of its head.

It also has a red marking on the bottom of its beak and a bare-skin eye patch surrounding each eye. 

Native to Southeast Asia, the Crested Partridge feeds exclusively on insects.

It finds its food by foraging around on the ground, flipping through leaf litter and picking up insects with its sharp beak. 

Palm Cockatoo

Palm Cockatoo Photos

The largest of all Cockatoo species, the Palm Cockatoo is native to Australia. However, it is also kept as a pet all over the world.

This bird is covered with dark gray feathers, has a bright red patch on either side of its face, and sports a jet-black mohawk. 

It also possesses one of the biggest beaks of any cockatoo species, and it uses this powerful bill to crack through nuts and feed on the seed inside.

It also uses it during the breeding season to snap off sticks as thick as 1-inch and conduct a drumming display in order to attract a partner. 

Wood Duck

Wood Duck Photos

One of few waterbirds on our list, the male Wood Duck really is one of the most punk-rock looking birds out there.

It sports a bright green, iridescent mohawk with white stripes running through it. It also has gray underparts, black and white wings, and a brown chest flecked with white dots.

Native to North America, like many species of birds, the male is the more glamorous of the two sexes.

The female is much duller in comparison with brown feathers and no mohawk. 

Royal Flycatcher

Royal Flycatcher Photos

The Royal Flycatcher is a small songbird with a magnificent, bright-red mohawk on the top of its head.

This mohawk is also tipped with blue markings and is fan-shaped, making it a real showstopper. 

Native to Central America, South America, and Mexico, the Royal Flycatcher doesn’t just get its impressive mohawk out for any occasion.

In fact, it is exclusively reserved for the mating season and used as a courtship tool. The rest of the year, it remains its hidden secret!

Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker Photos

Measuring around the same size as a crow, the Pileated Woodpecker is one of the biggest Woodpecker species in the world.

It can be identified by its predominantly black feathers with white markings, and it has a bright-red mohawk atop its head. The male Pileated Woodpecker also has a red patch on either cheek. 

This bird has quite a wide range and can be spotted in Canada, throughout most Eastern US States, and along the West Coast down to California. 

Philippine Eagle

Philippine Eagle Photos

The only bird of prey on our list, the Philippine Eagle has an impressive, shaggy mohawk that frames its entire face.

They are also considered to be one of the world’s largest eagles, measuring up to 3 ft in height. 

Despite their fearsome appearance, they are quite dependent on their parents for a while, and don’t fully fledge until they are around 2 years old.

They’re a pretty rare sight as well, choosing to live on just four of the Philippine islands, where they feed on snakes, lizards, monkeys, and rats. Sadly, the Philippine Eagle is listed as critically endangered. 

Gray-Crowned Crane

Gray-crowned Crane Photos

Measuring around 3 ft tall and native to Eastern and Southern Africa, the Gray-Crowned Crane is a striking bird with gray feathers, red neck, and black face marked with white and red patches. 

As its name suggests, it also sports a magnificent crown on its head, a gray, almost blonde color.

This mohawk points out spikily and is almost reminiscent of a porcupine’s spines. 

Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Photos

One of the most recognizable birds in the world, the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is covered with pure-white feathers and has a pale yellow mohawk.

It also has matching yellow feathers on its tail and under the wing, which are most apparent during flight. 

The Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo is highly intelligent and long-lived, native to New Guinea and Australia.

Unfortunately, they are subject to hunting and pest control as they have been known to cause destruction to crops and timber buildings. 

Great Blue Turaco

Great Blue Turaco Photos

Native to Africa and The Congo, the Great Blue Turaco is one of the largest Turaco species, measuring in at around 30-inches tall.

Blue-gray feathers cover its entire body, and it has a jet-black, spiky mohawk. It also has a bright yellow beak that is tipped with orange. 

Sadly, this magnificent mohawk-bearing bird is often hunted for its feathers and meat. 

Crested Duck

Crested Duck Photos

Native to the West Indies, although also found throughout Europe, the Crested Duck sports a pure-white mohawk that looks as though it’s been perfectly styled.

In fact, unlike most other birds on this list, the Crested Duck’s mohawk isn’t spiky at all, and looks much more bouffant-like.

Interestingly, not all Crested Ducks have this mohawk. It is actually a genetic mutation that isn’t always passed onto their chicks, and some may be born with it while others won’t have it at all. 

Smew

Smew Photos

Another fabulous-looking waterbird, the Smew is covered with white feathers and has black markings that almost look as though it’s been marked for dissection.

It also has a bright-white mohawk that contrasts beautifully with its black edges. 

Native to Europe, the Smew can be found in lakes and rivers where it feeds on fish, frogs, and other aquatic creatures. 

White-Crested Helmetshrike

White-crested Helmetshrike Photos

The White-Crested Helmetshrike has two remarkable features. The first of this is its namesake white mohawk that has a fluffy appearance and runs from the back of its head right to the base of its beak.

It also has a bright yellow eye wattle that looks like a tiny flower surrounding its black eye. 

Native to Africa, the White-Crested Helmetshrike lives in groups and roosts in woods where it hunts and feeds on insects. 

Cockatiel

Cockatiel Photos

The Cockatiel is one of the smallest Cockatoo species and, while native to Australia, it is kept as a pet all over the world.

Covered with dark gray feathers, the Cockatiel also has a bright-yellow face, red cheek patches, and a famous yellow and black mohawk.

Its mohawk isn’t just for display, though. The Cockatiel uses its fabulous head plumage to signal when the are scared or excited. They are also very long-lived birds, with a lifespan of around 25 years. 

Golden Pheasant

Golden Pheasant Photos

This incredibly colorful bird is native to China and has a bright-yellow mohawk that matches its orange and black neck beautifully.

It also has blue feathers at the base of its neck, and bright-red underparts. 

Their preferred habitat is woodland; despite their bright coloring, they can be quite hard to spot.

They are also very fast runners, and will flee as soon as they feel they are in danger. 

Western-Crowned Pigeon

Western-crowned Pigeon Photos

Native to New-Guinea, the Western-Crowned Pigeon is one of the world’s largest species of Pigeon.

Covered with pale-gray feathers and dark brown shoulders with white patches, the Western-Crowned Pigeon has a large mohawk that is almost leaf-like in appearance. 

Sadly, the Western-Crowned Pigeon is considered as a vulnerable species due to a mixture of habitat loss and hunting for its incredible feathers. 

Striated Heron

Striated Heron Photos

One of the smallest Heron species, the Striated Heron stands at an average height of 17-inches. It is covered with black and gray feathers, and has a spiky black mohawk on the top of its head. 

The Striated Heron has quite a wide range, and can be found in the Caribbean, South America, West Africa, Australia, and Japan.

In all of these locations, it hunts along the water’s edge in search of fish, frogs, and other small aquatic creatures.

Guinanan Cock-of-the-Rock

Guinanan Cock-of-the-rock Photos

The Guinanan Cock-of-the-Rock looks as though it has been made up of two birds that have been stitched together!

The lower half of its body is jet black, and from the shoulders up it is bright orange. It also has an impressive orange mohawk that almost entirely covers its beak. 

Native to South America, the Guinanan Cock-of-the-Rock can be found living in rocky areas all year round.

Bare-Faced Go Away Bird

Bare-faced Go Away Bird Photos

No, we’re not making this up. The Bare-Faced Go Away Bird is an actual animal that is native to Africa. It is also famous for two things.

The first is its impressive dark gray mohawk that contrasts beautifully with its black face and white neck.

It also has a distinct call that sounds as though it’s shouting “Go away”, which is where its name comes from.

This call is very loud as well, and you’re much more likely to hear this bird before you see it. 

Victoria-Crowned Pigeon

Victoria-crowned Pigeon Photos

Named after the British monarch Queen Victoria, the Victoria-Crowned Pigeon is covered with blue and purple feathers.

It also has purple-spotted legs and a fascinator-like mohawk made up of delicate blue feathers tipped with white.

Native to New Guinea, the Victoria-Crowned Pigeon’s habitat is mixed woodland where it hunts for insects and forages for seeds and berries. 

Red-Crested Turaco

Red-crested Turaco Photos

The Red-Crested Turaco is a small bird with a colorful appearance. Its entire body is covered with bright-green feathers, and it sports a scarlet-red mohawk that is tipped with white.

This mohawk is quite large relative to its size as well, measuring around 2-inches tall. 

Native to Africa, the Red-Crested Turaco lives in groups of up to 30 strong and has a call that sounds like a monkey!

Great Bowerbird

Great Bowerbird Photos

Upon first sighting, you might think that the Great Bowerbird is a relatively dull-looking bird. But, look closer and you’ll spot a bright-pink mohawk that really gives it punk-rock status.

Native to Australia’s woodlands and forests, this mohawk isn’t always on display and is usually reserved for mating displays. 

The Great Bowerbird’s mohawk isn’t it’s only weapon in the mating-game, though. The male will also build a “bower” made from sticks and decorated with stones, leaves, and shells.

The more appealing their bower is to the female, the higher the chance they have of attracting a mate. 

Red-Whiskered Bulbul

Red-whiskered Bulbul Photos

Almost Woodpecker-like in appearance, the Red-Whiskered Bulbul has a spiky black mohawk, red cheek patches, and black and white feathers across the rest of its body. 

Although originally native to India, this bird can now be spotted throughout the United States.

It is believed that a few escaped from an aviary in Miami and, from there, their numbers grew. The Red-Whiskered Bulbul lives and travels in groups, feeding on insects and fruit. 

Great Curassow

Great Curassow Photos

The final entry on our list of birds with mohawks, the Great Curassow is native to Central America and Mexico.

Its entire body is covered with jet-black feathers, and the only patch of color it possesses is its sharp, bright yellow beak.

It also has an impressive, black mohawk that stands straight up and fans across the length of its head.

The Great Curassow lives in groups of up to 10 strong, and they spend their days foraging for insects and seeds on the ground. Come nightfall, they take to the trees for shelter. 

Final Thoughts

There you have it – 25 fabulous birds with mohawks.

Whether you’ve spotted one on your travels or you’re simply looking for inspiration for your next hairstyle, we hope you’ve learned something new about the incredible world of birds!


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