9 Birds With the Best Makeup Looks

Best Smoky Eye: Cedar Waxwing

Cedar waxwings certainly know how to pull off a smoky-eye look. With their elegant coloring in general, their “eye makeup” is only one component of their beauty. They aren’t the only birds to feature dark feathers around their eyes, though; the loggerhead shrike is another bird with a similar pattern. In the shrike’s case, scientists believe the “makeup” might help with hunting, because the dark feathers combined with their dark eyes make it more difficult for prey to tell where the bird is looking. However, generally, the reason this bird’s dramatic look evolved is unknown.

Best Winged Eyeliner: American Kestrel

The American kestrel’s makeup look is subtle, but it’s adorable, nonetheless. If you look closely at its eyes, the bird really does look like it’s wearing eyeliner that goes from the inside of its eye up the top of what we humans would call its “eyelid.”

Did you know the American kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America?

Best Eyebrows: Steller’s Jay

Steller’s jays make sure to keep their eyebrows plucked and penciled! The white line above the eyes of adult birds in the mountain west region certainly does look like a perfectly arched eyebrow. This can make the birds look slightly irritated or attentive. Note that Steller’s jays located near the Pacific coast and in California have dark blue streaks on the forehead.

Best Blush: Redpoll

The winter hardy redpoll might’ve gone a little overboard with the blush, as it technically extends from beside the bird’s beak all the way down its breast…but we still think it’s a charming look. In human terms, it does appear that this tiny winter finch is wearing blush on its “cheeks.” Important to note, however, is that female redpolls lack this coloration — only the males have decided to spruce up their coloring with “bird makeup.”

Best Lipstick: Caspian Tern

One look at this bird’s bill, and you’ll wish you could ask it where it found that stunning lipstick shade. Caspian tern’s bright red bills are well-used: the majority of their diet is composed of fish and crustaceans, and their special bills come in handy when consuming their next meal. These water birds are the largest tern in the world, and regularly found in both saltwater and freshwater environments throughout most of North America during migration.

Best (Runny) Mascara: Prairie Falcon

It’s been a tough day for the prairie falcon, who looks like it just got broken up with over dinner. While technically the dark line below the bird’s eye is referred to as a “malar stripe” and it’s thought to reduce glare from the sun, we think it resembles a line of running mascara. Maybe these falcons should give waterproof brands a try?

Courtesy Karren Dixon

Best Body Glitter: Hummingbirds

We couldn’t pick just one, because all hummingbirds sparkle! Known for their uniquely shimmery feathers, hummingbirds have perhaps the most eye-catching plumage of all backyard feeder birds. Some of the most truly glamorous hummingbirds reside in Costa Rica, but our resident North American hummingbirds are plenty pretty, too.

Best Hairspray: Hooded Merganser

If you don’t find this duck’s voluminous hairstyle awe-inspiring, we’re going to assume you’re stretching the truth. Hooded mergansers have some of the best anti-gravity feathers we’ve seen in the avian world, with their poufy crests and, in the male’s case, a tasteful color contrast. Even the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes their look as “flamboyant,” which might just be the best-fitting term. Common and red-breasted mergansers have “hairstyles” that can look pretty funky, too.

Bird That Actually ‘Wears’ Makeup: Egyptian Vulture

Interestingly, scientists have observed makeup-applying practices in the bird world. Egyptian vultures engage in a practice called “cosmetic coloration,” during which they roll around and rub their faces in mud. It’s not completely understood why they do this, although hypotheses range from a means of attracting mates to potentially indicating dominance within a social hierarchy.

Sources

• National Audubon Society, “These Birds Like to Wear Makeup“
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Photos Reveal Purpose of Black Facial Markings in Peregrine Falcons“
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Hooded Merganser: Identification“