Birds With Incredibly Long Tails: Nature’s Most Spectacular Feathered Displays

Many birds across the world display remarkable tail feathers that extend far beyond their bodies. These long-tailed species can be found on every continent except Antarctica, from tropical rainforests to open grasslands. Their tails often measure several times longer than their body length.

Birds develop long tails for important reasons including flight control, attracting mates, and communicating with other birds. Species like flycatchers, widowbirds, and pheasants showcase different tail shapes and sizes. Some birds have streaming ribbons of feathers, while others display fan-shaped or forked designs that serve specific purposes in their daily lives.

1) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has one of the most striking tails in the bird world. This elegant bird’s tail can reach twice the length of its body.

Male birds have longer tails than females. The tail is black and white with a deep fork that looks like open scissors.

These birds use their long tails for more than just looks. The tail helps them make sharp turns and twists while catching insects in the air.

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers have gray and white bodies with salmon-pink coloring on their sides and under their wings.

2) Asian Paradise Flycatcher

The Asian Paradise Flycatcher stands out for its remarkable tail feathers. Males have long tail streamers that can double their body length.

This bird shows striking color differences between males and females. Males display either glossy black and chestnut colors or bright white plumage with black heads.

The long tail serves purposes beyond looks. These flowing feathers help with courtship displays and flight control through Asian forests.

3) Ribbon-tailed Astrapia

The male ribbon-tailed astrapia has the longest tail feathers compared to body size of any bird on Earth. These amazing tail feathers are over three times longer than the bird’s body.

The bird lives in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. Males are about 32 centimeters long, but their tails can stretch over one meter.

Males use these long white tail feathers to attract females during mating displays. The long tails sometimes get tangled, making it hard for males to fly away quickly.

4) Long-tailed Widowbird

The long-tailed widowbird lives in southern and eastern Africa. It belongs to the weaver family and prefers grasslands.

Breeding males are mostly black with orange and white shoulder patches. Their tails can grow over 20 inches long. This makes the tail three times longer than their body.

Non-breeding males lose their long tails and become brown and streaky. Females stay brown and streaky all year. They also have the same wing pattern as males.

These birds eat seeds and small insects.

5) Turquoise-browed Motmot

The turquoise-browed motmot has one of the most unique tails in the bird world. Its long tail feathers end in racket-shaped tips that look like tennis rackets.

Both male and female motmots have these special tail feathers. The tail is bright blue and much longer than the bird’s body.

This medium-sized bird lives in Central America. People call it different names like “clock bird” because it wags its tail like a pendulum.

The motmot’s tail serves important purposes for communication and display between birds.

6) White-tailed Tropicbird

The white-tailed tropicbird has some of the longest tail feathers among seabirds. These white streamers can double the bird’s total length.

Adult birds measure 28-31 inches long including their tail feathers. The wingspan reaches 35-38 inches.

This seabird lives in tropical oceans around the world. It has a mostly white body with black wing markings and a black stripe across each eye.

The bird’s orange-yellow bill helps tell it apart from other tropicbirds. Young birds have shorter tails and black bars on their backs.

7) Red-billed Streamertail

The red-billed streamertail is a hummingbird found only in Jamaica. It serves as the country’s national bird.

Male streamertails have brilliant green bodies with black crowns. Their most striking feature is their extremely long, black tail feathers that can reach up to 10 inches.

These ribbon-like tail streamers often cross behind the bird during flight. The long feathers help with flying control as they move between flowers.

The bird also goes by the nickname “doctor bird” because its crossed tail feathers look like old medical coats.

8) Magnificent Riflebird

The Magnificent Riflebird is a medium-sized bird that reaches up to 34 cm in length. Males have striking velvet-black feathers with elongated black plumes on their sides.

These birds belong to the bird-of-paradise family. They live in New Guinea and northern Australia.

Male riflebirds display their long tail feathers during courtship rituals. They fully extend their wings and raise their tails while hopping upward.

The females are brownish with dark spots and lighter bars underneath. Young males look similar to adults but have shorter tail plumes.

9) Pin-tailed Whydah

The Pin-tailed Whydah is a small songbird from Africa. Males grow amazing tail feathers during breeding season.

These birds measure 12-13 cm in body length. However, breeding males add another 20 cm with their long black tails.

Males display black and white plumage with bright red bills. The long tail feathers look like pennants flowing behind them.

During courtship, males perform flight dances above females. They hover while singing and sweep their impressive tails up and down to attract mates.

10) Resplendent Quetzal

The resplendent quetzal lives in the cloud forests of Central America. Male quetzals grow extremely long tail feathers during breeding season.

These tail feathers can reach up to three feet long. The long feathers create a flowing train behind the bird as it flies.

Male quetzals use their impressive tails in courtship displays. They rise above the forest canopy and dive down toward females with their long feathers streaming behind them.

11) Lyrebird

The Superb Lyrebird is a large ground-dwelling bird from Australia. Males can grow up to 100 centimeters long, with their tails making up nearly half their total size.

Male lyrebirds have spectacular long tails with different feather types. The main “lyre” feathers have bold barring patterns. Other tail feathers are thin and wispy.

Females and young birds lack the longer tail feathers. Males use their impressive tails during courtship displays to attract mates.

12) Superb Lyrebird

The Superb Lyrebird lives in Australia’s forests. It ranks among the world’s largest songbirds.

Male birds grow spectacular tails up to 28 inches long. The tail has 16 different feathers that form an ornate display.

Two outer feathers curve like a lyre instrument. These feathers have brown and buff bands with black tips.

The remaining feathers include 12 thin filamentary ones and 2 central plumes. Males use their elaborate tails for courtship displays to attract females.

13) Common Pheasant

The Common Pheasant is also called the Ring-necked Pheasant. These birds have very long tail feathers that can grow up to eight inches long.

Male pheasants are especially striking with their colorful appearance. They have metallic green backs and bright red areas around their eyes. Their heads are green with white neck rings.

These large birds are about the size of chickens. They have long legs and necks that match their impressive tails. Common Pheasants do well in farm areas and open countryside.

14) Alexandra’s Parrot

Alexandra’s Parrot stands out with its exceptionally long, narrow tail. This Australian native measures about 45 cm in total length.

The bird displays beautiful pastel colors. Its head shows light olive-brown with blue washing on the crown. The throat appears pale pink.

Also called the Princess Parrot, it was named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The species lives in Australia’s arid inland deserts.

Its elegant tail gives this parrot a graceful appearance during flight. The long feathers make it one of nature’s most striking tail displays.

15) Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

The Greater Racket-tailed Drongo stands out with its distinctive tail design. This black bird has two long outer tail feathers that end in racket-shaped tips.

The body measures about 28-32 cm in length. However, the tail streamers add another 25-30 cm to its total size.

This Asian bird lives in forests across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has glossy black feathers and a backward-curving crest on its head.

Males use their impressive tail feathers during courtship displays to attract females.