If you love birdwatching, you might’ve already encountered beautifully crested birds in North America. These birds come in different species, colors, and sizes.
The crest is a unique feature on top of a bird’s head that is a marvel to look at, but do you know that it is not just there for display? Just like the birds, It comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and has distinct functions.
This article will walk you through each of these wonderfully crested birds so you can get to know more about their characteristics. This will also discuss the different functions of crests in birds. Read on to learn more about them!
18 Crested Birds of North America
1. Tufted Titmouse
| Scientific Name: | Baeolophus bicolor |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5.5–6.3 in (21–23 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.6–0.9 oz (18–26 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7.9–10.2 in (20–26 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 2 years |
The Tufted Titmouse, famous for its pointed crest and stout bill, can mostly be found in deciduous woods below 2,000 feet elevation, parks, and backyards in the eastern United States.
Their top part is of a silvery gray color, while their belly is white. They also have a washed peach color on their chest. Another distinguishing feature of these birds is their small black patch just above their bill.
The tufted crest of these birds makes them easily identifiable, although it is not really difficult to spot Tufted Titmice since you can find them in residential areas during the winter, especially if you have full bird feeders.
Aside from identification, Tufted Titmice take advantage of their crests to attract partners during the breeding season. This is the season when you can also find these birds in flocks and in pairs.
Even with their small size, Tufted Titmice appear huge because of their large heads and eyes, thick necks, and full bodies. Their flight pattern is also observed to be quite fluttery instead of smooth.
Further, they tend to be more assertive over other smaller birds when it comes to foraging for food.
2. Vermilion Flycatcher
| Scientific Name: | Pyrocephalus rubinus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5.1–5.5 in (13–14 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.39–0.49 oz (11–14 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.4–9.8 in (24–25 cm) |
| Lifespan: | 4–5 years |
More common in the Southern part of the United States, the red-crested Vermilion Flycatcher can also be found in the Southwestern United States, Southern Mexico, and most parts of Central America.
The tufted red crest of the male birds complements their dark brown mask striking through their eyes. They are also known for their brown back, tail, and wings, and orange chest. Meanwhile, females have a subtle gray-brown color and a salmon-red underpart.
Vermilion Flycatchers are known for eating insects, such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, and beetles.
They can mostly be found perched on top of shrubs and fence lines, and they skillfully catch these insects mid-air through quick flights. During the mating season, you can find male Vermilion Flycatchers bringing insects to court the females.
Further, these birds prefer shrubby habitats, such as scrubby deserts, cultivated lands, woodlands near river banks, and tropical lowlands. You can also mostly hear them breaking into a sweet song with clear notes.
These small birds are very territorial in nature. They will go all out to defend their nests. If unsuccessful, they will fly away from the predators but will also sound an alarm call to get reinforcement from other nearby birds.
3. Steller’s Jay
| Scientific Name: | Cyanocitta stelleri |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 11.8–13.4 in (30–34 cm) |
| Weight: | 3.5–4.9 oz (100–140 g) |
| Wingspan: | Up to 17.3 in (44 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 16 years |
If you are planning to go on a picnic in the Western United States or Mexico, there is a good chance you might encounter a Steller’s Jay, with its large, blue-black crest feathers, trying to snatch your unattended food.
Steller’s Jays were named after the individual who discovered it on one of the islands near Alaska in 1741. Further, it is only one of two North American jays with crests — the other being the Blue Jay.
They are also exotic-looking birds that are easy to identify, with their shimmering blue plumage, large charcoal black head, and discreet white markings above the eyes.
Their natural habitat includes scrubs, coniferous forests or woodlands, chaparral brushlands, and prairies with scattered trees. They also enjoy high elevations, mostly between 3,000 and 10,000 feet.
Steller’s Jays mostly feed on acorns, fruits, pine nuts, insects, and even small rodents. Additionally, these birds are also inquisitive and intelligent, being able to mimic a lot of sounds they get from their surroundings.
They are also bold and aggressive. In fact, they are known to attack and kill small adult birds to steal their nests.
4. Cedar Waxwing
| Scientific Name: | Bombycilla cedrorum |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5.5–6.7 in (14–17 cm) |
| Weight: | Up to 1.1 oz (32 g) |
| Wingspan: | 8.7–11.8 in (22–30 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 8 years |
The Cedar Waxwing is a colorful bird with a tufted crest. They are commonly found in North America during the winter season. However, their extensive range will allow you to spot them in Canada, Europe, and even Asia.
These colorful, medium-sized birds have a large pale-brown head with a narrow black mask thinly outlined in white across the eyes, a short neck, and a small, wide bill. Their crest usually lies flat and points toward the back.
They also have light gray-colored wings with slightly visible red tips, a pale yellow belly, and a gray tail with a bright yellow tip. It is believed that the bright color at the tips of their tail helps them attract mates.
These birds eat berries and insects, so expect them to live in deciduous forests, woodlands, farms, orchards, and suburban gardens with fruiting trees and shrubs. They can actually swallow berries whole or incredibly pluck them in mid-air while hovering over them.
However, Cedar Waxwings can also die of intoxication when they accidentally feed on berries that have started to ferment.
Watch this video to get to know more about the Cedar Waxwing:
5. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
| Scientific Name: | Corthylio calendula |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 3.5–4.3 in (9–11 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.2–0.3 oz (5–10 g) |
| Wingspan: | 6.3–7.1 in (16–18 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 5 years |
Aptly named for its bright red crest that resembles a king’s crown on top of its head, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is commonly found across the entire United States during the winter season.
During the summer, they can be spotted in most parts of the Northern United States and in the western mountains.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are very small birds, only weighing about 0.2 to 0.3 ounces and with a length of just about 3.5 to 4.3 inches. They are even smaller than a chickadee or warbler.
Looking closely, the shade of these birds is olive green. They also have prominent white eyerings and white wingbars, which are contrasting bands of markings across their wings.
In terms of its crest, the male Ruby-crowned Kinglet is known for its red cap, while the female has a gray cap with white stripes across.
These birds mostly feed on insects, such as beetles, ants, spiders, flies, and other invertebrates or flying insects. You can mostly find them in tall and dense coniferous forests or near sources of water, like ponds and streams.
6. Golden-crowned Kinglet
| Scientific Name: | Regulus satrapa |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 3.1–4.3 in (8–11 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.1–0.3 oz (4–8 g) |
| Wingspan: | 5.5–7.1 in (14–18 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 6 years |
Closely resembling its Ruby-crowned Kinglet cousin, the Golden-crowned Kinglet has a striking lemon-yellow crest instead. These birds can be found in coniferous forests in North America, mostly in the Western region.
As winter approaches, these birds migrate toward Mexico and Central America and would usually be settled in deciduous trees and shrubs. They can be found as low as sea level to as high as 10,000 feet above.
Golden-crowned Kinglets are one of the smallest birds in the world, weighing as light as 0.1 to 0.3 ounces and just about 3.1 to 4.3 inches.
They also have pale-olive backs and gray undersides. Their faces have black and white stripes, and each of their nostrils is covered by a single, minuscule feather. Further, their wings have thin white wingbars and yellow edges.
Due to their small size, they can be quite difficult to spot. However, you can use your ears to listen to their high and thin call notes, which they usually give out while foraging for food.
Additionally, Golden-crowned Kinglets are very adaptable birds. They can withstand winter-night temperatures as low as –40° Fahrenheit (-40° Celsius).
7. Blue Jay
| Scientific Name: | Cyanocitta cristata |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 9.8–11.8 in (25–30 cm) |
| Weight: | 2.5–3.5 oz (70–100 g) |
| Wingspan: | 13.4–16.9 in (34–43 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 7 years |
The Blue Jay is a very beautiful bird with its blue, white, and black plumage and topped with its perky bright blue crest. This is the only bird that can be found in all of North America’s 50 states all year round and in Europe.
The undersides of these birds are white to light gray in color, while their wings and tails have black and white bars. They also have a distinctive black stripe around their neck, like a necklace.
Blue Jays mostly live in forest edges, but they are visible near oaks, woodlots, farmlands, and suburban areas like towns, cities, and parks.
They mostly feed on acorns, but they eat almost anything, from seeds and nuts to eggs, insects, and even chicks from other birds.
As an avid fan of these beautiful blue birds, I have tried attracting male and female Blue Jays into my front yard by filling my bird feeder with sunflower and safflower seeds, peanuts, mixed seed blends, suet, and berries.
As Blue Jays begin their mating season toward the end of March, I noticed that it is not uncommon to hear the flapping of their wings as they gather in large flocks in the bird feeders.
8. Oak Titmouse
| Scientific Name: | Baeolophus inornatus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | Up to 5 in (12.7 cm) |
| Weight: | Up to 0.56 oz (15.9 cm) |
| Wingspan: | Up to 9 in (22.9 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 9 years |
Found in dense forests and mixed woodlands across North America, the Oak Titmouse is a small gray-brown bird with a matching tufted gray crest that can be lowered and raised to communicate threat or danger.
If you are from California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, or Kentucky, you may spot these birds feeding on fruits, flowers, and nuts from tree limbs or branches. They also eat insects from barks and leaves.
Oak Titmice are tiny birds, measuring only about 0.56 ounces and just about 5 inches long. They also have short and stubby bills and medium-long tails. They are a bit darker on top than their undersides.
These songbirds are said to give a voice to the warm, dry oak woods with their “tsee tsee tsee” vocalization. Pairing with single mates for life, these couples are known to defend their territory using their distinctive calls.
Further, you may often see Oak Titmice residing in nest boxes. Hence, to attract these birds in pairs, you can put up a nest box in your front yard and place seeds on raised trays and tubes.
9. Great Crested Flycatcher
| Scientific Name: | Myiarchus crinitus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.7–8.3 in (17–21 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.9–1.4 oz (27–40 g) |
| Wingspan: | Up to 13.4 in (34 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 14 years |
The Great-crested Flycatcher is known for the large olive-green crest at the top of this bird’s head. They are common throughout the United States but are more prevalent in the eastern states, where breeding colonies are identified.
They can also be found in the southern parts of Canada all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
From their name, you can identify that these birds are insectivorous and have a particular fondness for flies. However, they also eat other insects, like spiders, caterpillars, beetles, moths, and butterflies.
These birds are mostly found in woodlots, open woodlands, and deciduous trees, where they patiently sit and wait on high perches, waiting to sally after their insect targets.
Appearance-wise, great-crested Flycatchers are lean birds with long reddish-brown backs, gray throats and breasts, and bright lemon-yellow bellies. They also have robust and powerful builds, with broad shoulders.
Further, their upper portion also has rufous orange highlights on their outer wings and their long tails.
Additionally, their large brownish-gray heads are complemented with pale black straight bills that are wide at the base.
These birds are also very creative in building their nests. They use materials such as snakeskin, onion skin, cellophane, and plastic wrappers.
10. Pileated Woodpecker
| Scientific Name: | Hylatomus pileatus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 15.8–19.3 in (40–49 cm) |
| Weight: | 8.8–12.3 oz (250–350 g) |
| Wingspan: | 26.0–29.5 in (66–75 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 12 years |
It’s easy to spot a Pileated Woodpecker due to its black body and bright red triangular crest. These are native birds to the United States and are mostly found in Colorado, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers in the United States, measuring 15.8 to 19.3 inches and weighing about 8.8 to 12.3 ounces.
This bird’s popularity even paved the way for a cartoon character to be created based on it, the “Woody Woodpecker.”
Aside from these birds’ crests, they also have black and white stripes on their faces and long necks. Males also have a red stripe on their cheeks. They even have long and sturdy chisel-like bills that are approximately the same length as their heads.
During their flight, you can marvel at the broad wings of these large birds, characterized by white underwings and small white crescents on the upper side and the base of their primaries.
They are mostly found in deciduous forests, woodland edges, and suburban areas. You can find them usually pecking into large, standing dead trees and downed wood, looking for food, such as ants and beetle larvae.
11. Crested Caracara
| Scientific Name: | Caracara cheriway |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 19.3–22.8 in (49–58 cm) |
| Weight: | 37.0–49.5 oz (1,050–1,300 g) |
| Wingspan: | 48.0–49.2 in (122–125 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 26 years |
As the only bird of prey on the list, the Crested Caracara may be native to Central America but can also be found in Florida and Texas and parts of South America, such as Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Crested Caracaras may look like hawks, but they are actually falcons. These medium-sized birds have a black and white body and yellow-orange legs and skin around the bills.
They also have a flat face that is topped with a shaggy crest. These black crests contrast their white necks and cheeks. While in flight, you can observe their white undertail and primaries.
Crested Caracaras usually fly low to the ground, especially when hunting for small mammals, such as mice, squirrels, frogs, lizards, and large insects.
They would usually perch themselves on trees, poles, and fences while observing their prey. As scavengers, they can also steal food from other birds and raid garbage dumps.
These birds usually inhabit open areas, such as pastures, cultivated areas, desserts, scrubs, and savannas.
However, due to extensive habitat loss, Crested Caracaras are listed as endangered wild birds in the state of Florida, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
12. Double-crested Cormorant
| Scientific Name: | Nannopterum auritus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 27.6–35.4 in (70–90 cm) |
| Weight: | 42.3–88.2 oz (1,200–2,500 g) |
| Wingspan: | 44.9–48.4 in (114–123 cm) |
| Lifespan: | 6–22 years |
The Double-crested Cormorant is a unique-looking bird that is found throughout North America. Unlike other birds in this list, the crest of Double-crested Cormorants only grows during the breeding season.
Observing from a distance, these large avians look like dark birds with long necks. However, if you inspect them closely, they are brown-black in color, with young birds having lighter brown shades, especially on their necks and breasts.
They also have a patch of yellow-orange skin on their face. This connects to their thin, strong bills that are hooked towards the end and are about the length of their head.
The breeding adult also grows a couple of small tufted crests of black feathers that are mostly used to attract mates.
Double-crested Cormorants are waterbirds that can live both in freshwater and saltwater habitats, but mostly in the former. They can be found mostly in coastal areas, lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
They have webbed feet, which they use to dive and swim through the water in search of prey, such as small fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and small mammals.
13. Northern Cardinal
| Scientific Name: | Cardinalis cardinalis |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 8.3–9.1 in (21–23 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.5–1.7 oz (42–48 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.8–12.2 in (25–31 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 3 years |
Found all over North America, Eastern Canada, and Southern Mexico, the Northern Cardinal is identifiable by its pointed crest that is mainly used for courtship display.
The color and shape of the crest feathers of Northern Cardinals depend on their gender. Males have a more pronounced bright-red crest, while females have a more subtle, brownish crest that matches their plumage.
Overall, male Northern Cardinals have a brilliant red color from head to tail, along with a red bill that is outlined by a wide black marking toward the front of the face.
Meanwhile, females have the same features, except that they are more of a paler brown color with warm reddish casts in their wings, tail, and crest.
Northern Cardinals can usually be seen in backyards, parks, woodlots, and shrubby forest edges. They usually feed on insects, nuts, seeds, and berries.
Further, these beautiful birds will do everything to defend their breeding territories against intruders. In fact, during the spring and summer seasons, my aunt usually complains about these birds attacking her car mirror whenever she drives around her Texas neighborhood.
She also mentioned instances where she sees them attacking their reflections in windows, glass surfaces, and shiny objects, which is part of their protective instincts.
14. Red-breasted Merganser
| Scientific Name: | Mergus serrator |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 20.1–25.2 in (51–64 cm) |
| Weight: | 28.2–47.6 oz (800–1,350 g) |
| Wingspan: | 26.0–29.1 in (66–74 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 13 years |
You can find the Red-breasted Merganser in the coastal waters and large inland lakes in the United States and Mexico, particularly during the winter season. The males are also known for their prominent shaggy crest on their heads.
Also called the Sawbill, these medium-sized ducks are named for their thin bills with small serrations, which they use to firmly hold their prey, which is primarily made up of fish.
They also feed on crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates, too. As they swim, they usually submerge their heads as they get ready to dive underwater to capture their food.
When it comes to appearance, breeding males are characterized by their cinnamon-colored chests, white neck bands, and shaggy green crests.
These crests are made up of elongated feathers that they can raise and lower depending on their mood.
Meanwhile, females and non-breeding males have brownish-gray overall colors, along with brownish chins, shaggy heads, and dull-shaded breasts.
While in flight, they can be identified with their distinguishable white lower-wing panels.
Further, Red-breasted Mergansers tend to sit low in the water while floating but fly at an angle where their heads are more elevated than their feet.
15. Hooded Merganser
| Scientific Name: | Lophodytes cucullatus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 15.8–19.3 in (40–49 cm) |
| Weight: | 16.0–31.0 oz (453–879 g) |
| Wingspan: | 23.6–26 in (60–66 cm) |
| Lifespan: | 11–12 years |
The Hooded Merganser is characterized by the impressive collapsible crests that they mainly utilize for mating purposes. They can be seen throughout North America, from Alaska to Mexico.
During the summer season, they nest in tree holes that are near freshwater ponds or rivers. As winter approaches, they relocate to larger freshwater bodies, marshes, and protected saltwater bays.
Hooded Mergansers are small-sized ducks that feature thin bills and fan-shaped crests that give their heads an oversized and oval appearance.
Adult males have black tops with white patches on the head, white breasts, and rich chestnut shades on the sides of their lower bellies. Meanwhile, females and young ducks have gray and brown tones on their bodies and bronze-cinnamon hues on their heads.
These ducks dive to feed on aquatic insects, crayfish, small fish, crustaceans, and other amphibians. They use their serrated bills to help them catch and secure their slippery prey.
During the mating season, male Hooded Mergansers court the females by expanding their oval white crests while making low, groaning calls.
Check the courtship and mating behavior of the Hooded Merganser in this video and watch how the male expands its sail-like crest to attract the female:
16. Great Blue Heron
| Scientific Name: | Ardea herodia |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 38.2–53.9 in (97–137 cm) |
| Weight: | 74.1–88.2 oz (2,100–2,500 g) |
| Wingspan: | 65.8–79.1 in (167–201 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 15 years |
The Great Blue Heron is common across entire North America, living in a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater habitats. They also have plume-type crests that are mainly used for courtship display.
You can spot them in open coasts, marshes, sloughs, riverbanks, lakes, and backyard ponds. They favor these areas with shallow water where they can easily hunt fish, small mammals, amphibians, and invertebrates.
These birds have excellent hunting techniques. They stealthily and patiently wait for their prey in the water without moving. As their target approaches, they strike it in a single speedy motion using their sharp, long beaks.
These beautiful birds have long features, including their legs, necks, and thick, powerful beaks. They also have a rich blue-gray color and wide black stripes over their eyes, extending to their crests.
While in flight, Great Blue Herons tuck their neck into an “S” shape. Further, this is when you can also observe their two-toned wing color, which is paler on the forewing and darker on the flight feathers.
During the mating season, Great Blue Herons gather in breeding colonies called “heronries.” In this period, they are also known to build stick nests high off the ground.
17. Black-crested Titmouse
| Scientific Name: | Baeolophus atricristatus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | Up to 5.9 in (15 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.5–0.7 oz (15.2–18.4 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.1–9.8 in (23–25 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 8 years |
The Black-crested Titmouse is known for its distinguishable black tufted crest, as its name suggests. They can be mostly found in the southern states of North America, especially in South Texas and also in Northeast Mexico.
These small birds are further characterized by their medium-gray-colored body and flanks. They also have proportionally sized black and white heads with short necks and small bills. The forehead and sides of these birds also have a faint buff hue.
They can mostly be found on mesquite bosques, montane evergreen forests, oak scrubs, and suburbs. They also mostly nest in the inner portion of trees, usually not higher than 20 feet from the ground.
They mostly take advantage of the abandoned woodpecker cavities for nesting, which can be found in trees, fence posts, stumps, and telephone poles.
These birds forage for food in small groups, and their diet consists mostly of seeds, acorns, and berries. They also eat small insects, such as beetles, flies, moths, and their larvae.
Further, Black Crested Titmice are high-pitched songbirds. Their vocalizations include sweet and clear “chick-a-dee” and “peer-peer” sounds.
18. Golden Pheasant
| Scientific Name: | Chrysolophus pictus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 24–41 in (60–105 cm) |
| Weight: | 12.3–24.7 oz (350–700 g) |
| Wingspan: | Up to 28 in (70 cm) |
| Lifespan: | 5–20 years |
The Golden Pheasant is a native of China, but feral populations of this can now be found around the world, including North America. They are known for their strikingly beautiful golden crest with a faint hint of red at the tip.
Male Golden Pheasants are more colorful than their female counterparts. They mostly have bright red bodies, but the face, throat, chin, and sides of the neck have a rusty tan color.
Further, their wattles and orbital skin are yellow, while their cape is orange. Their upper back is green, while the rest of the back and the rump have a golden-yellow color.
On the other hand, female Golden Pheasants have a dull, mottled brown color, with buff breasts, sides, abdomens, faces, and throats.
During the winter season, they can mostly be found hiding atop dense conifer trees, where they forage for seeds and wheat leaves. On the ground, they feed on grains, seeds, leaves, and invertebrates.
These birds prefer spending time on land and walking or running. Even with their wingspan of up to 28 inches, they are clumsy in flight and can only do so in short bursts, which is known as “flapping flight.”
Different Functions of Crests in Birds
Upon going through the list, you will realize the wide variety of crests that birds can have. Some may be small tufts of hair, while others can be beautifully designed plumes.
Take note that these colorful features at the top of the birds’ heads are not just there as an additional display to make them more attractive. These crests have specific functions that might not even be too apparent.
Understanding their functions for different bird species will ultimately give us a clearer perception of their designs and help us appreciate them better.
Here are some of the most common functions of crests in birds:
- Identification: Since not all birds have crests, this unique feature can assist in bird identification. The type and color of crests in birds can be helpful in recognizing them when birdwatching. Further, birds themselves can make use of crests to easily identify members of their own species.
- Communication: On top of verbal ways of communicating, such as birdsongs, some birds can use their crests to communicate their moods. They can raise or lower their crests to signal aggression or submission. Meanwhile, a vibrating crest can relay excitement or readiness to mate.
- Display: Given the beautiful patterns of many of these crests, these become effective tools in attracting mates or partners during the mating season. As observed, most male birds have more intricate and colorful crests that they use to captivate female partners.
- Camouflage: In terms of survival, some birds may also bear crests that can help them blend in with their surroundings, such as branches, leaves, and the rest of their natural habitat. This allows them to go unnoticed and escape predators in the process.
- Thermoregulation: By raising and lowering their crests, some birds can trap or release heat. This allows them to adjust to the outside climate by regulating their internal temperature.
- Intimidation: Some birds that have fully raised crests create an impression that they are larger than they actually are. This helps them scare or intimidate predators and even other birds in their territory.
Whether birds use their crests for identification, survival, or mating, it is clear that they are designed effectively to help them with their day-to-day functions and make their lives a bit easier.
Which of these 18 crested birds of North America are you most interested in? We would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and any questions you may have in the comments section below!
