A vibrant pink galah cockatoo with its feathered crest lifted, positioned beside a Hawaiian ginger flower in full bloom, highlighting their shared rosy hues and delicate, layered textures.

Wild Crowns: Nature’s Shared Designs

Nature often repeats itself in the most unexpected ways. Across birds, flowers, and insects, we see similar shapes, colors, and patterns — even among species that never cross paths. These “wild crowns” are more than just beautiful details; they’re evolutionary echoes that reveal how deeply connected life on Earth truly is.

1. Galah Cockatoo & Hawaiian Ginger

The galah’s soft pink crest closely resembles the bloom of the Hawaiian ginger. Both share a delicate texture and a vivid blush tone, creating a visual harmony between feather and flower.

A pink galah cockatoo with a raised crest next to a blooming Hawaiian ginger flower, both showing similar soft textures and vibrant pink tones.

2. Citron-Crested Cockatoo & Heliconia psittacorum

This pairing highlights how form follows function. The cockatoo’s long, upright orange crest mirrors the slender shape and vibrant hue of the heliconia flower — a tropical echo in both structure and color.

A citron-crested cockatoo with a bright orange crest beside a heliconia psittacorum flower, highlighting their shared slender shape and vivid orange color.

3. Hooded Merganser & Black-and-White Treehopper

The hooded merganser’s bold black-and-white head pattern is strikingly similar to the armored silhouette of the black-and-white treehopper (Membracis foliatafasciata). Though one glides through water and the other clings to stems, their graphic designs seem cut from the same cloth.

A hooded merganser duck with bold black-and-white head markings compared to a black-and-white treehopper insect, both featuring striking graphic patterns.

4. Royal Flycatcher & Red Acraea Butterfly

The flycatcher’s crest fans out like butterfly wings — and in this case, it looks as if the butterfly itself has landed atop the bird’s head. A moment of mimicry that blurs the line between species, celebrating the elegance of both flight and form.

A tropical royal flycatcher displaying its fan-like red crest alongside a red Acraea butterfly, showing visual mimicry between the bird’s crown and the butterfly’s wings.

5. Crested Faraone & Dark Hyacinths

The bird’s curled black crest evokes the velvety petals of deep purple hyacinths. Both carry a quiet intensity — dramatic, mysterious, and rich in texture.

A crested Faraone bird with curled black feathers next to deep purple hyacinth flowers, both evoking a velvety, dramatic texture and gothic elegance.

These comparisons reveal how nature often arrives at similar solutions across vastly different life forms. Whether for camouflage, attraction, or expression, these shared designs remind us of the interconnectedness of the natural world — from birds and blooms to the intricate beauty of butterflies and insects.

Which one is your favourite? 

We shared this full visual series on Instagram — check it out here and tell me your pick in the comments.

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