One body shape we may not be as used to seeing in our day to day life is birds with long necks. Usually, these long necks go hand-in-hand with an overall larger sized body, and long legs. A long neck can help keep an eye out for predators that like to sneak up through low vegetation. It can also be an advantage to help birds spear fish, or reach sediment when wading through shallow water. Let’s look at 12 common birds with long necks and where you can find them.
12 Birds with long necks
1. Ostrich
- Scientific Name: Struthio camelus
- Size: 6.9-9 feet
The ostrich is a bird that’s native to Africa. Their natural habitat includes savannas, grasslands, woodlands, and deserts. They prefer open areas with sparse vegetation where they can see predators approaching from afar. It’s the world’s largest and fastest bird, capable of speeds of up to 70 km/h. Their main predators are lions, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. Their tall stature and long neck helps them see far out above the grasses, and hopefully spot an approaching predator with enough time to run away.
Ostriches eat roots, shrubs, fruit, flowers, leaves, and seeds, but they also eat insects like grasshoppers and caterpillars during certain seasons of the year.
2. Emu
- Scientific Name: Dromaius novaehollandiae
- Size: 5.7 feet
Emus are large flightless birds with long necks. They are similar to the ostrich, but live on the continent of Australia. These birds have shaggy grayish-brown feathers that extend part-way up the neck. They use their necks to scan their surroundings, which helps them avoid their main predator, the dingo.
They’re most active during the day, usually spending their time searching for food, resting, or preening their feathers. From December to January, male emus will start attracting females by doing their courtship dances. Females lay 5 to 24 eggs per se