Long and fluffy tails can boast not only fabulous birds, but also real-life representatives of the bird world. It is customary to call long-tailed birds, the length of the tail of which significantly exceeds the size of the body. Let's try to answer the question: "Which bird has a long tail?".
Why tail feathers are needed
In most birds, the tail functions as a rudder and brake, and also improves maneuverability and a soft landing. A bird with a long tail uses it to increase lift, especially for predators.
Also, males use feathers to attract a female, displaying beautiful plumage during mating games. And some birds use their tails to get food.
Long-tailed birds
As a rule, long and beautiful plumage is formed in males. It gives charm and helps to attract females. But the presence of long feathers is fraught with consequences, because such a luxury creates certain difficulties during flights and attracts predatory representatives.
The question of which bird has a long tail is easy to answer. It is enough to select representatives of birds in which the tail plumage exceeds the size of the body. These include:
- A dwarf sunbird whose tail helps make sharp turns and dives when flying.
- A frigate that uses tail feathers as a rudder and brakes.
- Argus (a hybrid of a pheasant and a peacock). The peculiarity of the tail is the presence of two especially elongated feathers, which are twice the length of the peacock's tail and grow up to one and a half meters.
- Momota is an American bird that models the shape of its tail by itself, partially exposing the stem. As a result, the end of the pen resembles an arrowhead.
- A weaver-widow who uses his luxurious tail during mating season to attract a mate. At the end of the season, males shed their decoration and acquire regular feathers.
- A peacock with over 200 colorfully colored feathers on its tail. Birds unleash their pride during courtship and skirmishes with rivals.
- Quezal, which is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful birds. The length of the tail feathers is more than twice the size of the body itself.
- Astrapia, or bird of paradise. The presence of a long and magnificent tail, exceeding the size of the body several times, prevents the bird from flying and moving in forest vegetation, so it often gets tangled in the branches.
- Reinart's Pheasant - the owner of the longest tail feathers in the wild,which can reach a length of over 170 cm and a width of 12-15 cm.
- Onagadori is a Japanese breed of ornamental phoenix roosters. The tail feathers of this representative grow throughout life. Thus, a seventeen-year-old rooster has a tail length of 13 meters and growth continues.
Therefore, there are several answers to the question of which bird has a long tail. The artificially bred phoenix and the naturally formed Reinart's pheasant have the longest plumage.
Features of keeping the tail record holder
Phoenix chickens are difficult to distinguish from ordinary chickens. A feature of growing is transplanting to a higher perch as the feathers lengthen. In order for the tail to acquire the necessary length and decorative effect, birds must be kept in a cramped cage, and when released for a walk, long feathers should be placed in a special cart that the bird drags along.
In the ranking called "Which bird has a long tail?" the first place belongs to the decorative Japanese onagadori rooster. Before the exhibition, his feathers are curled with paper curlers. And moving from place to place, they are wound around the neck or arm.
