# Why Don't Birds Comb Their Hair? - Source: StoryWeaver (storyweaver.org.in), CC BY, Pratham Books, StoryWeaver, CC BY 4.0 - Reading level: Grades 3 and 4 - Subjects: Birds, Animals - Topics: hair, birds, comb, look, looks, don’t - Length: 401 words, about 3 min - By: Suchi Govindarajan - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: Why don’t bulbuls comb their hair? It looks like a little wave. If I had a bulbul’s hair, I would wear clips. Why don’t hoopoes comb their hair? It looks like a frilly fan. If I had a hoopoe's hair, I would push it back with a band. If I had a spoonbill's hair, I would plait it all together. Why don't spoonbills comb their hair? It looks like an old paintbrush. Why don’t monals comb their hair? It looks like a tiny broom. If I had a monal’s hair, I would tie it up with ribbons. Why don't fish owls comb their hair? It looks like two furry worms. If I had a fish owl’s hair, I would make two ponytails. Why don't drongos comb their hair? It looks like a messy mop. If I had a drongo’s hair, I would oil it well and brush it down. Why don’t hornbills have hair to comb? They look like they're wearing helmets. If I had a hornbill’s helmet, I would ride around all day. Why don’t vultures have any hair? They look so bald. If I had a vulture’s head, I would never have to comb my hair! ![A spoonbill and a vulture and monal and hoopoe](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/storyweaver-why-don-t-birds-comb-their-hair-5f0838eb9e.jpg) Common Hoopoe · Indian Vulture · Himalayan Monal · Eurasian Spoonbill **Meet The Birds That Have Funny Hair** ![Racket tailed drongo, brown fish owl, the great indian hornbill, red whiskered bulul](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/storyweaver-why-don-t-birds-comb-their-hair-4e83e8eb30.jpg) Red-whiskered Bulbul · Brown Fish Owl · Racket-tailed Drongo · Great Indian Hornbill Crests are useful in many ways. They make birds look attractive. Some birds can open and fold their crests to send signals to other birds. Some open their crests when they want to frighten away other birds and animals. Some birds *look* like they have hair on their heads. But their hair is not like ours. Instead, each hair is just a very thin feather. A group of such feathers is called a crest. **Do birds really have hair?** The hornbill’s helmet is called a casque (rhymes with mask). Like ear-tufts and crests, casques make hornbills look good. This helps them find mates. A hornbill’s casque also makes its beak stronger. With a strong beak, hornbills can pick and eat fruits more easily. The furry worms on the owl’s head are called ear-tufts. They are not really ears, just bits of skin covered with feathers. These help owls hide more easily, making them look like they are part of a tree. The ear-tufts also help them look attractive (to other owls) or scary (to other birds and animals). ## Picture credits - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 () - Anjora Noronha, CC BY 4.0 ()