Meet Three-Wattled Bellbird, A Unique Bird With Mustache And Covered In Reddish Brown, Except For White Head And Neck

There are many unique birds in nature that make us think of aliens instead. They were born with one-of-their-kind features, making them conspicuous in the crowd. A huge beak, burning flame orange mohawk, eyebrows, multi-colored plumage, or mustache makes a name for these birds. They seem to jump out from fairy books that we used to be hooked into during childhood.



A mature male three-wattled bellbird is chest-nut brown and between 25 and 30 cm (10-12 in) long - about the size of a grackle. The body, tail, and wings of the male bellbird are uniformly chestnut-brown, its head white with a black eye-ring, eye-stripe, and bill. Its name comes from the three worm-like wattles of skin that hang from the base of the bill. These wattles can be as long as 10 cm (4 in) and the middle of the three can be erected into an upright position. The female bellbirds are smaller and somewhat less striking in appearance. They are golden-brown across the back of the wings and tail with whitish streaking on the face, a buffy-streaked throat, and golden-brown streaking down the chest with pale-grey undertail coverts.