Birds are some of the most incredible creatures out there. These fascinating vertebrates are some of the only animals that can fly. Not all birds can fly, though; some, like penguins and ostriches, can’t fly.

According to National Geographic, “Everything about the anatomy of a bird reflects its ability to fly. The wings, for example, are shaped to create lift. The leading edge is thicker than the back edge, and they are covered in feathers that narrow to a point. Airplane wings are modeled after bird wings.”

All birds are fascinating, but some are more unique than others. Read on to see some of these incredibly rare birds!

Palila

The palila is an endangered species of the Hawaiian honeycreeper. The unique bird has a yellow head, olive green wings, a light belly, and gray back. This bird can only be found on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the big island of Hawaii.

California Condor

The California Condor was all but extinct in the 1980s, but has since made a comeback. The bird went extinct in the wild in 1987 (the living ones were captured), but they have since been reintroduced in southern Utah and northern Arizona. The species is still critically endangered.

Forest Owlet

The forest owlet is an endangered species of owl that lives in central India. The species was first discovered in 1873, but nobody saw it again after 1884 — so they assumed it was extinct. The bird was rediscovered in 1997 and has since been found in numerous locations. The population of forest owlets is very small.

Honduran Emerald

The Honduran emerald is a species of hummingbird that is only found in Honduras. Their habitats are endangered because of deforestation.

Orange-Bellied Parrot

The orange-bellied parrot is a small colorful parrot that lives in southern Australia. As is true with many birds, the males are much more colorful than the females. The orange-bellied parrot is critically-endangered, but they’re being bred in a captive breeding program in Tasmania.

Crested Ibis

This gorgeous red and white bird is native to eastern Asia. The crested ibis used to be seen regularly in Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Russia, but now they are endangered.

Christmas Frigatebird

The Christmas frigatebird (also known as the Christmas Island frigatebird), is a large seabird that is critically endangered. The bird is native to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, and it only breeds on this island.

Scaly-Sided Merganser

The scaly-sided merganser is an endangered sea duck that is native to East Asia. Fewer than 5,000 of these birds remain.

Bengal Florican

The Bengal florican (also known as the Bengal bustard) is a bird native to Vietnam, Cambodia, and India. In 2017, it was estimated that there were less than 1,000 Bengal floricans left.

Kakapo

The kakapo, also known as the owl parrot, is a large parrot native to New Zealand. This critically endangered bird is flightless and nocturnal. According to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, there are only 146 kakapo alive today.

Red-Crowned Crane

The red-crowned crane, also known as the Japanese crane or Manchurian crane, is one of the rarest cranes in the world. It’s known as a symbol of luck, fidelity, and longevity. The red-crowned crane is endangered, since there are only 2,750 in the wild.

Kagu

The Kagu is a ligh blue-gray bird native to New Caledonia. The Kagu is almost flightless and has unique nasal corns (no other birds have this). Over the last 20 years, the Kagu population has decreased, and the Kagu is now endangered.

Great Indian Bustard

The Great Indian Bustard is a very large bird — in fact, it’s one of the heaviest flying birds. These critically endangered birds used to be common in India, but now there are only around 150.

Philippine Eagle

The Philippine eagle, also known as the monkey-eating eagle, is native to forests in the Philippines (it’s the country’s national bird). The Philippine eagle is critically endangered because of habitat loss.

Giant Ibis

The giant ibis is a critically endangered bird that is native to Cambodia and southern Laos. In 2018, it was estimated that there were less than 200 mature birds.