A curlew searches deep beneath a mudflat with its curved bill. A hummingbird reaches nectar hidden inside a narrow flower. Above a tropical forest, a hornbill carries a bill that looks almost too large for its head.
All three are birds with long beaks, but their bills work in very different ways.
Some birds use long, skinny beaks to probe soil or flowers. Others have broad, heavy-looking bills for handling fruit, catching fish, or reaching food that shorter-billed species cannot access.
Examples of birds with long beaks include the Australian Pelican, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Long-billed Curlew, Black Skimmer, Wood Stork, Keel-billed Toucan, and Long-billed Dowitcher. Their bill shapes are closely connected to how and where they feed.
This guide introduces 20 remarkable species, explains what makes their beaks unusual, and helps you identify long-billed birds by their shape, habitat, and behavior.
20 Birds With Long Beaks at a Glance
| Bird | Scientific name | Bill shape | Main region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Pelican | Pelecanus conspicillatus | Very long with expandable pouch | Australia |
| Sword-billed Hummingbird | Ensifera ensifera | Extremely long, straight, and slender | Andes |
| Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | Long, downward-curving | North America |
| Black Skimmer | Rynchops niger | Lower bill longer than upper | Americas |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | Long, straight and sensitive | Americas |
| Wilson’s Snipe | Gallinago delicata | Thin, straight probing bill | North America |
| American Woodcock | Scolopax minor | Long, straight and flexible near tip | Eastern North America |
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | Long, slightly upturned | North America |
| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata | Long, strongly downcurved | Europe and Asia |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | Long, sturdy and orange-red | Europe, Asia and Africa |
| Wood Stork | Mycteria americana | Long, thick and downcurved | Americas |
| Roseate Spoonbill | Platalea ajaja | Long with flattened spoon-shaped tip | Americas |
| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | Slender and downcurved | Several continents |
| White Ibis | Eudocimus albus | Long, slender and downcurved | Americas |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Long, straight and pointed | North and Central America |
| Keel-billed Toucan | Ramphastos sulfuratus | Large, colorful and curved | Central America |
| Rhinoceros Hornbill | Buceros rhinoceros | Large, curved, with prominent casque | Southeast Asia |
| Green Wood Hoopoe | Phoeniculus purpureus | Long, slender and downcurved | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Common Scimitarbill | Rhinopomastus cyanomelas | Long, narrow and strongly curved | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Far Eastern Curlew | Numenius madagascariensis | Exceptionally long and downcurved | East Asia and Australia |
The list includes both large birds with substantial bills and smaller species whose beaks are unusually long relative to their body size.
Which Bird Has the Longest Beak in the World?
The Australian Pelican has the longest bill of any living bird in absolute measurements, while the Sword-billed Hummingbird has the longest bill relative to its body length.
These are two different records.
According to Guinness World Records, the Australian Pelican’s bill measures approximately 34–47 cm (13–18.5 inches).
The Sword-billed Hummingbird’s bill can measure around 10.2 cm (4 inches), exceeding the length of its body when the tail is excluded.
That means the largest bill isn’t necessarily the most extreme in proportion to the bird carrying it.
20 Birds With Long Beaks: Pictures and Identification
1. Australian Pelican
Scientific name: Pelecanus conspicillatus
Beak length: Approximately 34–47 cm (13–18.5 inches)
Bill type: Extremely long, straight upper bill with an expandable throat pouch.
The Australian Pelican has a bill so large that its outline is unmistakable, even from a considerable distance.
Its lower jaw supports an expandable pouch that acts as a temporary catching structure when the bird takes fish from the water. After capturing prey, it drains excess water before swallowing.
The bill and pouch operate together, but they aren’t the same anatomical structure. The pouch is flexible skin supported by the lower jaw.
What makes it remarkable? Guinness World Records recognizes this species as having the longest bill of any living bird.
For a broader profile of this Australian waterbird, see our guide to birds that start with A.
2. Sword-billed Hummingbird
Scientific name: Ensifera ensifera
Beak length: Approximately 10.2 cm (4 inches)
Bill type: Exceptionally long, narrow, and nearly straight.
Few birds demonstrate the relationship between flowers and beak shape as clearly as the Sword-billed Hummingbird.
Found in the Andes, this species has a bill longer than the rest of its body, excluding the tail. It can access nectar in deep, tubular flowers that shorter-billed hummingbirds may struggle to reach.
Its tongue extends into the flower to collect nectar. The bill provides access, but it doesn’t work like a drinking straw.
The bird’s unusual proportions also affect everyday movements. Its long bill makes conventional preening difficult, so it relies heavily on its feet to groom its feathers.
Identification clue: Look for a hummingbird with a slender, almost sword-like projection extending far beyond its head.
3. Long-billed Curlew
Scientific name: Numenius americanus
Bill type: Very long, thin, and downward-curving.
The Long-billed Curlew is one of North America’s most distinctive shorebirds.
Its bill curves downward in a smooth arc, allowing it to reach invertebrates beneath the surface of soft ground. The bird can forage across coastal mudflats, grasslands, and other open habitats.
Female Long-billed Curlews generally have longer bills than males, often with a more pronounced curve near the tip. This difference is useful when comparing individuals, although sex should not be determined by bill shape alone.
The species feeds on aquatic invertebrates in coastal mudflats and also takes terrestrial prey, including grasshoppers, in its grassland breeding habitat. Its long, curved bill is particularly well suited to reaching food beneath soft sediment.
How to recognize it: Look for a large cinnamon-toned shorebird with an exceptionally long, curved bill and a relatively plain crown.
4. Black Skimmer
Scientific name: Rynchops niger
Bill type: Long and blade-like, with the lower mandible extending beyond the upper.
The Black Skimmer has one of the strangest feeding techniques among living birds.
Instead of diving into the water, it flies low over the surface with its lower bill cutting through it. When that submerged portion touches a fish, the bird closes its jaws and captures the prey.
This method depends on touch rather than a clear view of the fish, allowing skimmers to feed under low-light conditions.
Its unusual bill proportions develop as the young bird grows. Newly hatched skimmers don’t yet have the strongly elongated lower mandible seen in adults.
Identification clue: A black-and-white coastal bird flying close to the water with its lower bill touching the surface is a strong sign of a skimmer.
5. Long-billed Dowitcher
Scientific name: Limnodromus scolopaceus
Bill type: Long, straight, and sensitive near the tip.
The Long-billed Dowitcher searches soft mud using a distinctive repeated probing motion that can resemble a sewing machine needle.
Its bill contains specialized touch receptors, known as Herbst corpuscles, which help it detect buried prey.
This makes the bird less dependent on seeing its food than a visually hunting species.
Despite its name, bill length alone is not a reliable way to distinguish a Long-billed Dowitcher from the similar Short-billed Dowitcher. Their measurements overlap, particularly between sexes.
Identification tip: Consider calls, habitat, plumage, and structure together rather than relying on the name.
6. Wilson’s Snipe
Scientific name: Gallinago delicata
Bill type: Long, straight and narrow, with a flexible tip.
A Wilson’s Snipe can remain surprisingly difficult to spot despite carrying a bill several times longer than its head.
Its striped brown plumage blends into damp vegetation. Once it begins feeding, the long bill becomes its most noticeable feature.
The bill tip can open to grasp small prey while much of the bill remains inserted in the soil.
That allows the bird to collect invertebrates without withdrawing its entire bill after every attempt.
Look for this species around muddy pond margins, wet fields, and marshy ground with low vegetation.
7. American Woodcock
Scientific name: Scolopax minor
Beak length: 2.5–2.75 inches (6.35–6.99 cm)
Bill type: Long, straight, and flexible toward the tip.
The American Woodcock is sometimes mistaken for a snipe, but its preferred surroundings often provide an immediate clue.
It is closely associated with moist woodland and shrubby habitats rather than exposed coastal mudflats.
Its long bill is particularly useful for finding earthworms beneath soft soil. Like other probing shorebirds, it can manipulate the tip while the bill remains in the ground.
Its large eyes sit unusually high and far back on the head, providing a broad field of vision while it searches for food.
Identification clue: A plump, short-legged bird with a very long bill and a rounded head, walking across damp woodland soil, may be an American Woodcock.
8. Marbled Godwit
Scientific name: Limosa fedoa
Bill type: Long and mostly straight, with a slight upward curve.
The Marbled Godwit has a slender bill that often looks gently upturned, particularly toward the tip.
It probes mud and shallow water for invertebrates, using its long reach to explore feeding areas below the surface.
A curlew’s bill curves downward, while a Marbled Godwit’s bill is straighter and may turn slightly upward.
The godwit’s long, two-toned bill and warm brown plumage are useful field marks.
9. Eurasian Curlew
Scientific name: Numenius arquata
Bill type: Long and strongly downcurved.
The Eurasian Curlew is a large shorebird whose curved bill creates an unmistakable silhouette.
It feeds in estuaries, mudflats, wet grasslands and other open habitats, using its bill to search for buried invertebrates.
The bill’s curve is gradual rather than sharply hooked, distinguishing it from the bill of a bird of prey.
A useful identification detail is the bird’s long-legged, brown-streaked appearance combined with its downcurved bill.
The Eurasian Curlew and Long-billed Curlew belong to the same genus, Numenius, but occur in different geographic ranges.
10. Eurasian Oystercatcher
Scientific name: Haematopus ostralegus
Bill type: Long, straight, sturdy and orange-red.
Unlike the delicate bills of many probing shorebirds, an oystercatcher’s bill is comparatively strong.
Eurasian Oystercatchers feed on several kinds of coastal invertebrates, including shellfish. Depending on the prey and the individual bird’s technique, the bill can be used to pry, hammer or manipulate food.
The bill tip may show wear associated with repeated feeding activity.
Its black-and-white body, red eye, and vivid orange-red bill make this species relatively easy to recognize.
11. Wood Stork
Scientific name: Mycteria americana
Bill type: Long, thick, and slightly downward-curved.
The Wood Stork has a heavy bill that may seem less refined than a heron’s pointed beak, but its feeding method is remarkably effective.
It often searches shallow water with its bill partly open. When prey makes contact, the bird closes its jaws rapidly.
This tactile method is useful in cloudy water where visual hunting becomes difficult.
Wood Storks also benefit from water conditions that concentrate fish into relatively shallow feeding areas.
Identification clue: Look for a large white bird with black flight feathers, a dark featherless head, and a substantial downcurved bill.
12. Roseate Spoonbill
Scientific name: Platalea ajaja
Bill type: Long, flattened, and widened at the tip.
The Roseate Spoonbill feeds by sweeping its broad, flattened bill from side to side through shallow water. Unlike a heron that visually targets prey, it can detect small aquatic animals through contact.
Although spoonbills and flamingos can both have pink plumage, their bill structures are very different.
For more on the habitat and leg adaptations of spoonbills and other wading species, read our guide to birds with long legs.
13. Glossy Ibis
Scientific name: Plegadis falcinellus
Bill type: Long, slender and downcurved.
The Glossy Ibis carries a smoothly curved bill that looks quite different from the straight, pointed beak of a heron.
It uses this bill to probe soft soil and wet sediment for invertebrates.
Its plumage may look nearly black at a distance, but sunlight can reveal chestnut, green and purple tones.
When identifying an ibis, focus on the continuous downward curve of the bill and the bird’s habit of searching the ground with its head lowered.
14. White Ibis
Scientific name: Eudocimus albus
Bill type: Long, slender and downcurved.
The White Ibis offers a useful comparison with the darker Glossy Ibis.
Adults have mostly white plumage and a long reddish bill that curves downward. Their feeding technique involves probing wet soil, shallow water, and other soft substrates.
The bill can reach small animals concealed beneath the surface.
Young White Ibises are brown rather than fully white, so bill shape and body structure can be more dependable than plumage color alone.
15. Great Blue Heron
Scientific name: Ardea herodias
Beak length: 5.5 inches (13.97 cm)
Bill type: Long, straight, and dagger-shaped.
The Great Blue Heron’s bill is built for a different task from those of ibises and dowitchers.
Instead of probing repeatedly through mud, it typically watches for prey and launches a fast, precisely directed strike.
Its pointed bill can grasp or pierce prey, depending on the circumstances.
The bird’s neck provides much of the rapid forward movement, while the bill forms the striking and gripping surface.
16. Keel-billed Toucan
Scientific name: Ramphastos sulfuratus
Bill type: Large, gently curved and brightly colored.
The Keel-billed Toucan has a bill that combines green, yellow, red, and other bright tones.
Its length helps the bird reach and manipulate fruit while perched among branches. Despite its substantial appearance, the bill has a relatively lightweight internal structure.
Toucans use their bills for more than feeding. The structure also contributes to visual communication and heat exchange.
The Keel-billed Toucan provides a useful comparison with the Toco Toucan, which is covered separately in our guide to birds that start with T.
17. Rhinoceros Hornbill
Scientific name: Buceros rhinoceros
Bill type: Large, curved and topped with a prominent casque.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill is named for the conspicuous casque rising above its bill.
A casque is a specialized structure associated with the upper bill, not a separate horn.
Its large bill helps it handle fruit and other food, while the casque contributes to its striking appearance and may play a role in communication.
This species is found in Southeast Asian forests.
Identification clue: The upward-projecting red-and-yellow casque makes the Rhinoceros Hornbill look very different from a toucan, even though both have oversized bills.
18. Green Wood Hoopoe
Scientific name: Phoeniculus purpureus
Bill type: Long, thin and downward-curving.
The Green Wood Hoopoe uses its narrow, curved bill to search cracks, bark, and other small openings for insects and similar prey.
Unlike an ibis probing mud, this bird uses its bill extensively on trees and woody surfaces.
Its glossy greenish plumage and long tail add to its distinctive appearance.
The species often moves through woodland in social groups, giving birdwatchers an opportunity to observe several individuals searching tree surfaces.
19. Common Scimitarbill
Scientific name: Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
Bill type: Long, slender and strongly downward-curved.
The Common Scimitarbill is an excellent example of a long, skinny beak used away from wetlands.
Its bill curves like a narrow blade and helps it reach insects and other small prey concealed in bark, crevices and woody vegetation.
The bird’s feeding movements may involve examining places that would be difficult to reach with a shorter, broader bill.
It occurs in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and is associated with woodland and savanna habitats.
20. Far Eastern Curlew
Scientific name: Numenius madagascariensis
Bill type: Exceptionally long, slender, and downward-curving.
The Far Eastern Curlew has one of the most impressive bills among shorebirds. Its long, curved bill allows it to probe deeply into coastal mud and sand, searching for crabs, mollusks, and other buried invertebrates.
According to BirdLife Australia, female Far Eastern Curlews have bills averaging approximately 18.5 cm (7.3 inches), generally longer than those of males.
This difference can influence feeding opportunities. Birds with longer bills may reach prey buried deeper beneath the surface, while individuals with shorter bills may use different feeding areas.
The species breeds in northeastern Asia and migrates to coastal wetlands farther south, particularly in Australia.
Identification clue: Look for a large brown shorebird with long legs, a long neck, and an exceptionally long, smoothly curved bill.
Conservation note: The Far Eastern Curlew is classified as Critically Endangered, with coastal habitat loss and degradation among its major threats.
How to Identify a Long-Billed Bird by Its Beak Shape
When identifying a bird with a long beak, start by examining the bill’s overall shape rather than estimating its length.
First, check whether the bill is straight, curved downward, or curved upward. Then look at its thickness, tip shape, and color.
A long, narrow, downward-curving bill may suggest a curlew or ibis. A straight, dagger-shaped bill is more typical of herons, while a thin bill with a slight upward curve may point toward certain godwits.
Other birds have more distinctive structures. Spoonbills have flattened, widened bill tips, pelicans have expandable throat pouches, and skimmers have lower mandibles that extend beyond the upper ones.
Remember: Similar bill shapes do not always mean that two birds are closely related. Habitat, geographic location, body size, plumage, and feeding behavior provide important additional clues.
| What the beak looks like | Possible bird |
|---|---|
| Very long with a large throat pouch | Pelican |
| Longer than the bird’s body, excluding the tail | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
| Long and curved downward | Curlew or ibis |
| Long and slightly upturned | Godwit or avocet |
| Straight, pointed and dagger-like | Heron or egret |
| Broad and flattened at the tip | Spoonbill |
| Lower half noticeably longer than upper half | Skimmer |
| Large and brightly colored | Toucan |
| Large with a prominent structure above it | Hornbill |
Birds With Similar Long Beaks: How to Tell Them Apart
Several long-billed birds can appear similar at first glance. Looking beyond bill length helps distinguish them more reliably.
Long-billed Curlew vs. Eurasian Curlew
Both species have long, downward-curving bills and brownish plumage. The Long-billed Curlew occurs in North America and often shows warm cinnamon tones and a relatively plain crown. The Eurasian Curlew occurs across parts of Europe and Asia and generally has a more heavily streaked appearance.
Geographic location is one of the most useful clues for separating these two species.
Wilson’s Snipe vs. American Woodcock
Both birds have long, straight bills used for probing soft ground.
Wilson’s Snipe is more often seen around marshes, wet fields, and muddy vegetation. The American Woodcock is associated with moist woodland and shrubby habitats.
The woodcock also has a rounder body, shorter-looking legs, and large eyes positioned high and far back on its head.
These comparisons show why reliable bird identification depends on more than a single physical characteristic.
Why Do Some Birds Have Long Beaks?
Birds have evolved different bill shapes to reach, capture, or handle food in their environments. A long beak can provide extra reach, but its curvature, thickness, and sensitivity are often just as important.
Probing mud and soil: Curlews, godwits, snipes, and dowitchers use long bills to reach invertebrates hidden beneath soft surfaces. Some species can detect prey through sensitive structures near their bill tips.
Reaching nectar: The Sword-billed Hummingbird uses its exceptionally long bill to access deep tubular flowers. Its tongue collects the nectar after the bill provides access.
Catching aquatic prey: Pelicans use their bills and throat pouches, herons strike at prey with pointed bills, and skimmers drag their elongated lower mandibles through the water.
Finding food in trees: Toucans and hornbills use large bills to handle fruit and reach food among branches. Wood hoopoes and scimitarbills use thinner, curved bills to search bark and crevices for insects.
These adaptations illustrate how different bird species have evolved bill structures suited to particular feeding methods.
Beak vs. Bill: Is There a Difference?
In everyday bird descriptions, beak and bill mean the same thing. Both describe a bird’s external mouth structure, including the upper and lower jaws covered by a keratin-rich sheath called the rhamphotheca.
Bird identification guides often prefer the term bill, especially when describing its shape, length, and feeding function.
Sources and Further Reading
The following ornithological resources provide additional information about bill measurements, species identification, feeding behavior, and habitats.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Long-billed Dowitcher — Bill-tip sensitivity, feeding behavior, and comparisons with Short-billed Dowitchers.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Long-billed Curlew — Identification, habitat, and differences between males and females.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Is a Bird’s Beak Length Measured?
A bird’s beak length is typically measured from a defined point near its base to the tip. Ornithologists commonly measure the exposed culmen, the upper ridge of the bill, although methods vary by species. Beak length can be compared in absolute measurements (centimeters or inches) or relative to the bird’s body size.
Do Birds With Longer Beaks Eat Larger Food?
No, longer beaks do not necessarily mean larger food. Beak length mainly helps birds access food in different ways. For example, Sword-billed Hummingbirds reach nectar inside deep flowers, curlews probe mud for small invertebrates, and pelicans use their long bills and throat pouches to catch fish. Beak shape and feeding behavior matter more than length alone.
What small bird has an extremely long beak?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a remarkable example. Its bill can exceed the length of its body when the tail is excluded.
What birds have long, skinny beaks?
Examples include the Long-billed Curlew, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s Snipe, American Woodcock, Marbled Godwit and Common Scimitarbill.
What is the bird with a long, curved beak?
It could be a curlew, ibis, scimitarbill, or another curved-billed species. Check whether the curve points upward or downward, then consider the bird’s size, plumage, and habitat.
What is a black-and-white bird with a long orange beak?
An oystercatcher is one possibility. The Eurasian Oystercatcher has black-and-white plumage and a long orange-red bill. Location and other identifying features are needed to distinguish it from related species.
What bird has a long beak with a pouch underneath?
A pelican. Its expandable throat pouch works with the lower jaw to help capture food.
Do long-beaked birds only live near water?
No. Many are wetland birds, but hummingbirds, toucans, hornbills, wood hoopoes, and scimitarbills demonstrate that elongated bills also occur in forests, woodlands, and other terrestrial habitats.
