11 Flowers That Actually Look Like Birds You Should Add to Your Garden Next Season

Hummingbird Flower

The hummingbird flower (Crotalaria cunninghamii) is a shrub that produces bright green flowers that resemble the wings and body of a small bird. For that reason, another common name for the shrub is green bird flower.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11

Flower Color Varieties: Green

Light: Full sun

Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained

Mature Size: 6-10 feet tall

White Egret Orchid

One of the showiest flowers that looks like a bird is the white egret orchid (Habenaria radiata). In bloom, this orchid displays a white flower that has fringed edges that resemble a pair of wings on an outstretched egret. This rare type of orchid is endangered, so if you want to add this flower to your plant collection, be sure to source it responsibly.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10

Flower Color Varieties: White

Light: Full sun to part shade

Soil Needs: Sandy, moist

Mature Size: 12-18 inches tall

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Bird of Paradise

As the plant’s name suggests, the bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) produces striking flowers that look like birds between the plant’s large, upright green leaves. Under the right conditions, this tropical perennial will bloom several times during the year, showing off its brightly colored, orange and blue blooms that resemble a bird’s plumage emerging from a green ‘beak.’ There’s also a white bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) that looks similar but has spiky white flowers instead. 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-12

Flower Color Varieties: Orange or white

Light: Full to partial sun

Soil Needs: Loamy

Mature Size: 3.5-6 feet tall

Dove Orchid

Look closely into the delicate, white flowers of this orchid variety and you’ll see the clear shape of a dove perched in the center of the blossom. Aside from the miniature bird inside each flower, the dove orchid (Peristeria elata) stands out for its thick petals and strong herbaceous fragrance.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 11

Flower Color Varieties: White

Light: Partial sun

Soil Needs: Loamy, well-drained

Mature Size: 2-3 feet tall

False Bird of Paradise

The false bird of paradise (Heliconia rostrata) is a tropical plant that is prized for its bright red, hanging bracts that host yellow, drooping flowers. The flowers look like small birds but also resemble the claw of a crustacean, which gives rise to the plant’s other common name—lobster claw. 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-11

Flower Color Varieties: Yellow

Light: Full to partial sun

Soil Needs: Fertile, moist

Mature Size: 4-6 feet tall

Western Bearded Greenhood Orchid

Also known as the bird orchid, the Western Bearded Greenhood Orchid (Pterostylis barbata) is a type of bearded orchid. Each stalk typically produces one flower, which has translucent sepals and dark green veins and looks very much like a tiny bird—complete with a beak, tail, and feet. 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-10

Flower Color Varieties: Green

Light: Full sun

Soil Needs: Loamy, well-drained

Mature Size: 8-10 inches tall

Parrot Flower

The rare parrot flower (Impatiens psittacina) is native to southeast Asia but renowned for its flowers that look like birds. The multi-colored flowers resemble a bird in flight, with petals for the wings and tail. 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11

Flower Color Varieties: Multi-colored (purple, red, yellow)

Light: Full sun

Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained

Mature Size: 1.5-2 feet tall

Flying Duck Orchid

It’s not hard to see how the flying duck orchid (Caleana major) earned its name. This orchid variety has dark, reddish brown flowers that form the outline of a duck’s head, bill, outstretched wings, body, and feet. The flower’s botanical name includes the designation ‘major’ because this orchid has a larger than usual flower, adding to the allure of this variety. 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-10

Flower Color Varieties: Yellow, pink, orange, red, white, purple

Light: Full sun

Soil Needs: Loamy, well-drained

Mature Size: 8-20 inches tall

Parrot Heliconia

Another heliconia species with an avian influence is the parrot heliconia (Heliconia psittacorum). This tropical perennial is a dwarf cultivar that stays smaller than other heliconia plants, which can grow up to 15 feet tall. Compact size aside, the stars of the show are the bright red bracts with green-yellow edges and yellow flowers. At a glance, the flowers look like the feathers of a parrot, which is how this perennial earned its common name. Grown outdoors, this plant attracts hummingbirds.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 10b-11

Flower Color Varieties: Red

Light: Full sun

Soil Needs: Fertile, moist

Mature Size: 3-6 feet tall

Bird’s Mouth Orchid

As the name suggests, the Bird’s Mouth Orchid (Orthoceras strictum) has a flower that looks like the open beak of a hungry bird. The central petal at the base of the flower even features a yellow strip that looks like a tiny tongue. This species is native to Australia and also known as the horned orchid.

USDA Hardiness Zones: Not available

Flower Color Varieties: Yellow-green, dark brown

Light: Full sun

Soil Needs: Moist

Mature Size: 6-10 inches tall

Three Birds Orchid

Rarely seen, the three birds orchid (Triphora trianthophora) carries out most of its growth underground. However, the tuberous plant occasionally sends a shoot above ground, forming a flower stem that develops one or more petite white or light pink flowers that look like birds in flight or chicks begging for food.

USDA Hardiness Zones: Not available

Flower Color Varieties: White, pink

Light: Shade

Soil Needs: Rich, moist

Mature Size: 3-12 inches tall