Have you ever wondered which birds are the loudest in the world? You might think of some common birds that you hear every day, such as crows, seagulls, or woodpeckers. But did you know that there are some birds that can make sounds louder than a chainsaw, a rock concert, or even a jet engine? In this article, we will explore the top 10 loudest birds in the world, and find out why they make such a racket. You will be amazed by the diversity and beauty of these sound titans, and learn some fascinating facts about their origins, features, and behaviors.
Top 10 Loudest Birds
1. White Bellbird
The white bellbird is a small bird that lives in the mountains of northern South America, mainly in Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela. It has a black body and a white head, with a long fleshy wattle hanging from its bill. The male white bellbird has the loudest bird call ever recorded, reaching up to 125 decibels. That’s louder than a firework or a pneumatic drill. The male uses this deafening sound to attract females, and often sings right in their faces when they are perched together. How the females can tolerate this noise without damaging their hearing is still a mystery.
2. Moluccan Cockatoo
The Moluccan cockatoo is one of the largest and most colorful members of the cockatoo family. It has salmon-pink feathers, a large crest, and a powerful curved beak. It is native to the Seram archipelago in eastern Indonesia, where it lives in tropical rainforests. The Moluccan cockatoo can produce a loud screech that can reach up to 120 decibels, which is as loud as a chainsaw or a thunderclap. It uses this sound to communicate with other cockatoos across long distances in the dense forest. However, this high volume can also cause problems for people who keep them as pets, as they can be very noisy and demanding.
3. Southern Cassowary
The southern cassowary is a flightless bird that is known for its large size, vibrant blue neck, and striking helmet-like casque on its head. It is native to the tropical rainforests of New Guinea, northeastern Australia, and Indonesia, where it feeds on fruits and seeds. The southern cassowary can produce low-frequency booming sounds that can reach up to 115 decibels, which is as loud as a car horn or a rock concert. These sounds are used to communicate with other cassowaries, especially during the breeding season. They can also be heard by humans up to 5 kilometers away.
4. Two-Wattled Bellbird
The two-wattled bellbird is a medium-sized bird that lives in the cloud forests of Central America, from southern Mexico to Panama. It has olive-green plumage, a red eye-ring, and two long wattles hanging from its throat. The male two-wattled bellbird has a distinctive call that consists of three metallic notes followed by a loud bell-like sound. This sound can reach up to 110 decibels, which is as loud as an ambulance siren or a jackhammer. The male uses this call to attract females and defend his territory from other males.
5. Greater Prairie Chicken
The greater prairie chicken is a grouse-like bird that inhabits the grasslands of North America, from Canada to Texas. It has brown and black feathers, a short tail, and orange air sacs on its neck. The male greater prairie chicken performs an elaborate display during the mating season, which involves inflating his air sacs, raising his tail feathers, and making a loud booming sound. This sound can reach up to 110 decibels, which is as loud as an airplane taking off or a chainsaw. The male uses this sound to attract females and compete with other males.
6. Nanday Conure
The nanday conure is a small parrot that lives in South America, from Bolivia to Argentina. It has green feathers, a black head, and blue patches on its wings and tail. The nanday conure is very social and noisy, often forming large flocks that fly and feed together. It can produce a loud squawk that can reach up to 113 decibels, which is as loud as a firework or a pneumatic drill. It uses this sound to communicate with other conures and alert them of predators or food sources.
7. Peacock
The peacock is one of the most recognizable birds in the world, thanks to its spectacular tail feathers that can display a dazzling array of colors and patterns. It is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, where it lives in forests, grasslands, and farms. The peacock can produce a loud call that can reach up to 115 decibels, which is as loud as a leaf blower, a chainsaw, or a snowmobile. It uses this call to attract females and warn off predators or rivals.
8. Eclectus Parrot
The eclectic parrot is a large and colorful parrot that lives in the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Australia. It has bright green feathers, a red and blue underwing, and a yellow-tipped tail. The male and female Eclectus parrots look very different from each other, with the male having a red and blue head and the female having a purple and redhead. The eclectic parrot can produce a loud scream that can reach up to 115 decibels. which is as loud as a leaf blower, a chainsaw, or a snowmobile. It uses this sound to communicate with other parrots and defend its territory.
9. Mealy Amazon Parrot
The mealy Amazon parrot is a large and green parrot that lives in Central and South America, from Mexico to Bolivia. It has blue patches on its head and wings, and yellow markings on its face and tail. The mealy Amazon parrot is very intelligent and can learn to mimic words and songs with amazing accuracy. It can also produce a loud call that can reach up to 96 decibels., which is as loud as a motorcycle or a power mower. It uses this call to communicate with other parrots and express its emotions.
10. Parakeet
The parakeet is a small and colorful bird that belongs to the parrot family. There are many species of parakeets, but the most common one is the budgerigar or budgie, which is native to Australia. The parakeet has green feathers, a yellow head, and black stripes on its back and wings. The parakeet is one of the most popular pet birds in the world, thanks to its friendly personality and ability to learn tricks and words. The parakeet usually makes pleasant whistles and chirps that are around 65 to 70 decibels. which is comparable to office noise or background music. However, it can also make louder calls that can reach up to 112 decibels, which is as loud as a chainsaw, a leaf blower, or a snowmobile. It uses these calls to communicate with other parakeets or express its needs.
Conclusion
We have seen the top 10 loudest birds in the world, and learned why they make such loud sounds. Some of them use their voices to attract mates, some to defend their territories, some to warn of danger, and some to find food. Some of them are exotic and rare, while some are familiar and common. Some of them are beautiful and colorful, while some are plain and simple. But they all have one thing in common: they are part of the natural diversity and beauty of the bird world, and we should respect and appreciate them. We hope you enjoyed this article, and learned something new about these amazing creatures. If you did, please share it with your friends and family, and leave us a comment below. Thank you for reading!
10 Most Asked Questions About Loudest Birds
Here are some of the most asked questions about the loudest birds:
- Q: What is the loudest bird in the world?
- A: According to the current records, the loudest bird in the world is the white bellbird, which can make a sound of up to 125 decibels.
- Q: How loud is 125 decibels?
- A: 125 decibels is very loud. It is equivalent to the noise level of a firework or a pneumatic drill. It can cause pain or permanent hearing loss if exposed for too long.
- Q: Why do birds make loud sounds?
- A: Birds make loud sounds for different reasons, such as to attract mates, defending territories, warning of danger, or finding food.
- Q: Which bird has the most beautiful song?
- A: This is a subjective question, as different people may have different preferences or opinions on what constitutes a beautiful song. However, some of the birds that are widely admired for their songs are nightingales, skylarks, mockingbirds, thrushes, canaries, lyrebirds, and wrens.
- Q: Which bird has the most annoying sound?
- A: This is also a subjective question, as different people may have different tolerance levels or reactions to certain sounds. However, some of the birds that are often considered annoying by humans are crows, seagulls, starlings, grackles, woodpeckers, magpies, jays, and geese.
- Q: Which bird can mimic human speech?
- A: Some of the birds that can mimic human speech are parrots, mynahs, ravens, crows, starlings, lyrebirds