The vast avian kingdom contains thousands of species that show a wide range of plumages, sizes, and shapes. Each species is adapted to a niche, and their morphology and behaviors are commonly associated with the given niche.
Examples of birds and their niches include the Osprey, which feeds on fish with its sharp talons; the Northern Cardinal, which eats fruit and seeds with its large beak; and Anna’s Hummingbird, which feeds on nectar using its long beak.
In the following article, we will explore the group of birds with small bodies but long beaks – many of which feed on nectar and other soft foods. Without further ado, here are 16 small birds with long beaks that you can see in various parts of the world, from the disproportionate Sword-billed Hummingbird to the brilliant kingfisher-like Rufous-tailed Jacamar.
7. American White Pelican
With black flight feathers and white plumage, the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is a large swimming bird. It has a long, enormous orange beak with a flat top.
Breeding adults develop a yellow- or orange-colored plate on their upper mandible during the breeding season. On the lower bill is a large pouch of orange skin used for foraging that can hold up to three gallons of water.
They use their bills to dip into the water and scoop food into their pouches in order to forage. They find their prey by touch at night, and most likely by sight during the day. Sometimes, the American White Pelican and other pelicans hunt together to “herd” fish into a confined area.
There are other species of pelicans as well, like the Great White Pelican, which has also reached Europe, and the Australian Pelican.
Sometimes mistakenly identified as a flamingo, the Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is not one. Its long bill resembles a spoon with a flat tip.
Its upper and lower mandibles may be slightly apart as it slowly wades in shallow waters, sweeping its bill back and forth to feel around for prey. They consume small fish, including crustaceans, minnows, and other aquatic invertebrates, occasionally along with some plant matter.
It is important to remember that spoonbill chicks lack that characteristic bill immediately upon hatching. After about a week, their bills begin to flatten, and in about 39 days, they will reach their full size.
1. Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is one of the most unusual but spectacular-looking birds on this list and a perfect example of a small bird with a long beak. The standout feature of this species is its disproportionately long, thin beak, which is usually longer than the rest of the body. It has the longest beak-to-body ratio of any bird.
The males have a bronzy-copper head, bright green sides, a blackish throat, dark gray belly and chest, dark brown flight feathers, and a white spot behind each eye. Although the appearance of males and females is similar, the females have olive spots on their throats and whiter underparts with dark green spots.
This hummingbird spends the entire year in the montane forests and forest fringes of northwest South America.
Due to the shape of their bill, they primarily consume protein-rich insects and spiders as well as the nectar found in long, tubular flowers.
12. Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris)
The brilliant, rather large Long-billed Starthroat hummingbird is found in southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.
This species’ males have a long, straight beak, a light blue crown, a white spot behind each eye, a white rump patch, greenish flanks, and a dark, purplish red throat. They have bronze-green upperparts and gray underparts.
The dusky-gray throat and green crown of females are distinguishing features.
This species can be found in yards, coffee plantations, woodlands, and forest edges. As an altitudinal migrant, it migrates during the winter from higher to lower elevations.
For carbohydrates, they consume nectar; for protein, they eat insects and spiders.
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