Leggy Birds: Meet Our Tallest Feathered Friends

Ostrich

According to Guinness World Records, the ostrich, a flightless native of Africa, has the longest legs of any living bird.

Black-winged stilt

However, Guinness World Records also notes that the bird with the longest legs relative to its body size is the widely distributed black-winged stilt.

Great blue heron

This large wading bird is found in wetland habitats throughout most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands.

Secretary bird

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified this species as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Great egret

The great egret is a graceful member of the heron family. It's distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world.

Tricolored heron

Native to coastal regions of the Americas, the tricolored heron is named for its blue-black head, yellowish bill, and white belly.

Whooping crane

Listed as Endangered by the IUCN, the whooping crane is so called because of its whooping-like call. It's the fifth largest extant species of crane in the world.

Roseate spoonbill

A resident of North and South America, this vibrant wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family is noted for its rose-pink plumage, equally colorful legs, and elongated spatulated bill.

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