Learning the names of birds can seem overwhelming due to the variety of species. Knowing some simple methods can make it easier. A helpful way to start is by remembering five bird names each day. This gradual approach can build your vocabulary and confidence when discussing birds. The reference will cover sections like the definition of birds, types of birds, a list of birds, and common bird names with pictures.
This list will use common bird names. It will be sorted by broader type (parrot, for example), and then it will list some of the most common and popular birds of that type. Keep in mind that this list does not include all bird names that exist!
Contents
Birds Names
Common Birds Names
- Crow
- Peacock
- Dove
- Sparrow
- Goose
- Ostrich
- Pigeon
- Turkey
- Hawk
- Bald eagle
- Raven
- Parrot
- Flamingo
- Seagull
- Swallow
- Blackbird
- Penguin
- Robin
- Swan
- Owl
- Stork
- Woodpecker
Learn more about the different parts of a bird in English.
Bird Names with Pictures and Examples
Crow
A crow is a large, black bird with a harsh, cawing call.
- Example: The crow perched on the tree branch and let out a loud caw.
Peacock
A peacock is a male bird of the species peafowl, known for its striking, iridescent feathers and impressive courtship display.
- Example: The male peacock spreads its beautiful feathers in an attempt to attract a mate.
Dove
A dove is a small, slender bird that is typically gray or white in color and known for its gentle cooing sound.
- Example: The sound of the dove’s cooing filled the peaceful garden.
Sparrow
A sparrow is a small, common bird with brown or gray feathers and a distinctive chirping call.
- Example: A group of sparrows hopped around the bird feeder, chirping excitedly as they ate.
Goose
A goose is a large water bird with a long neck and webbed feet, known for its loud honking call.
- Example: The flock of geese flew overhead, their honking echoing through the quiet countryside.
Ostrich
An ostrich is a large, flightless bird with long legs and a distinctive, feathered appearance. They are known for being the fastest running bird on land.
- Example: The ostrich sprinted across the savannah, its powerful legs propelling it forward at incredible speeds.
Pigeon
A pigeon is a common bird found in cities and towns, known for its plump body, small head, and distinctive cooing sound.
- Example: The pigeon perched on the windowsill, cooing softly as it watched the world outside.
Turkey
A turkey is a large bird native to North America, often raised for its meat and known for its distinctive fleshy wattle and red, white, and blue head.
- Example: The farmer raised a flock of turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner.
Hawk
A hawk is a bird of prey with sharp talons and a hooked beak, known for its keen eyesight and ability to swoop down and capture prey.
- Example: The hawk circled overhead, its sharp eyes scanning the ground for any signs of movement.
Bald eagle
The bald eagle is a large bird of prey found in North America, known for its distinctive white head and brown body.
- Example: The bald eagle soared through the air, its wings outstretched against the blue sky.
Raven
A raven is a large, black bird with a distinctive croaking call, often associated with mystery and darkness.
- Example: The raven perched on the tree branch, its glossy black feathers shining in the moonlight.
Parrot
A parrot is a colorful bird with a curved beak and the ability to mimic human speech. They are often kept as pets and are known for their intelligence and social nature.
- Example: The parrot squawked loudly and then repeated the phrase it had just heard its owner say.
Flamingo
A flamingo is a tall, wading bird with pink or reddish feathers and a distinctive curved beak. .
- Example: The flock of flamingos waded through the shallow water, their bright pink feathers standing out against the blue sky.
Seagull
A seagull is a common bird found near bodies of water, known for its white and gray feathers and sharp beak.
- Example: The seagull swooped down and snatched a fish from the water with its beak.
Swallow
A swallow is a small, agile bird with pointed wings and a distinctive forked tail. They are known for their graceful flight and ability to catch insects in midair.
- Example: The swallow darted through the air, its wings slicing through the sky as it chased after a passing insect.
Blackbird
A blackbird is a common bird found in gardens and woodlands, known for its black feathers and distinctive yellow eye ring.
- Example: The blackbird perched on the fence, its beady eyes scanning the garden for any signs of food.
Penguin
A penguin is a flightless bird found in the Southern Hemisphere, known for its distinctive black and white feathers and its ability to swim and dive in the water.
- Example: The penguin waddled across the ice, its short legs moving quickly to keep up with the rest of the colony.
Robin
A robin is a small, common bird with a distinctive red breast and brownish-gray back. They are often seen hopping across lawns and gardens, searching for insects and worms.
- Example: The robin perched on the fence post, its bright red breast shining in the morning sun.
Swan
A swan is a large, graceful bird with a long neck and white feathers. They are often associated with beauty and elegance.
- Example: The swan glided across the lake, its long neck held high and its wings spread wide.
Owl
An owl is a bird of prey with large eyes and a distinctive hooting call. They are known for their ability to hunt in the dark and their association with wisdom.
- Example: The owl perched on the tree branch, its large eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of movement.
Stork
A stork is a large, long-legged bird with a long beak and white or gray feathers. They are often associated with delivering babies.
- Example: The stork flew over the rooftops, its long legs stretched out behind it as it searched for a place to land.
Woodpecker
A woodpecker is a bird with a distinctive beak and the ability to peck at trees to find insects and create nesting cavities. They are often heard drumming on trees.
- Example: The woodpecker hammered away at the bark of the tree, searching for a tasty meal.
List of Birds
Auks
- Crested Auklet
- Great Auk
- Japanese Murrelet
- Little Auk
- Razorbill
- Tufted Puffin
Blackbirds
- Brewer’s Blackbird
- Cuban Blackbird
- Eurasian Blackbird
- Red-Winged Blackbird
- Tawny-Shouldered Blackbird
- Tricolored Blackbird
- Yellow-Headed Blackbird
Chickadees
- Black-Capped Chickadee
- Boreal Chickadee
- Carolina Chickadee
- Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
- Gray-Headed Chickadee
- Mexican Chickadee
- Mountain Chickadee
Crows
- American Crow
- Cape Crow
- Carrion Crow
- Collared Crow
- Eastern Jungle Crow
- Fish Crow
- Flores Crow
- Grey Crow
- Hooded Crow
- House Crow
- Large-Billed Crow
- Little Crow
- Long-Billed Crow
- Mariana Crow
- Northwestern Crow
- Palm Crow
- Pied Crow
- Piping Crow
- Slender-Billed Crow
- Torresian Crow
- Violet Crow
- White-Billed Crow
- White-Necked Crow
Doves
- African Collard Dove
- Carribean Dove
- Common Ground Dove
- Eurasian Collared Dove
- European Turtle Dove
- Inca Dove
- Mourning Dove
- Oriental Turtle Dove
- Spotted Dove
- Turtle Dove
- White-Tipped Dove
- White-Winged Dove
- Zenaida Dove
Ducks
- African Black Duck
- American Black Duck
- Australian Wood Duck
- Black-Headed Duck
- Comb Duck
- Crested Duck
- Eastern Spot-Billed Duck
- Freckled Duck
- Harlequin Duck
- Hartlaub’s Duck
- Lake Duck
- Mallard (This is probably the best-known duck)
- Mandarin Duck
- Masked Duck
- Mottled Duck
- Musk Duck
- Pacific Black Duck
- Pink-Eared Duck
- Plumed Whistling Duck
- Red-Billed Duck
- Ring-Necked Duck
- Ruddy Duck
- Spotted Whistling Duck
- Torrent Duck
- Tufted Duck
- Wandering Whistling Duck
- Western Spot-Billed Duck
- White-Backed Duck
- White-Faced Whistling Duck
- Wood Duck
- Yellow-Billed Duck
Falcons
- African Hobby
- American Kestrel
- Amur Falcon
- Aplomado Falcon
- Australian Kestrel
- Banded Kestrel
- Bat Falcon
- Black Falcon
- Brown Falcon
- Common Kestrel
- Dickinson’s Kestrel
- Elenora’s Falcon
- Eurasian Hobby
- Fox Kestrel
- Greater Kestrel
- Grey Falcon
- Grey Kestrel
- Gyrfalcon
- Lanner Falcon
- Lesser Kestrel
- Malagasy Kestrel
- Mauritius Kestrel
- Merlin
- New Zealand Falcon
- Orange-Breasted Falcon
- Oriental Hobby
- Peregrine Falcon
- Prairie Falcon
- Red-Footed Falcon
- Red-Necked Falcon
- Rock Kestrel
- Seychelles Kestrel
- Sooty Falcon
- Spotted Kestrel
Finches
- Brambling
- Bullfinch
- Chaffinch
- Common Redpoll
- Common Rosefinch
- Crossbill
- Goldfinch
- Greenfinch
- Hawfinch
- Lesser Redpoll
- Linnet
- Parrot Crossbill
- Scottish Crossbill
- Serin
- Siskin
- Twite
Flycatchers
- North American Flycatcher
- Eurasian Flycatcher
- Mexican Flycatcher
Game Birds
Game birds are birds that people commonly eat. Some game birds fit better in other categories, but the ones that don’t have a better place are listed here.
- Grey Partridge
- Bobwhite Quail
- Ringneck Pheasant
- Ruffed Grouse
- Sharptail Grouse
- Wild Turkey
Geese
- African Goose
- Barnacle Goose
- Canada Goose
- Crested Goose
- Emperor Goose
- Eurasian Goose
- Grey Goose
- Magellan Goose
- North American Goose
- Pilgrim Goose
- Pomeranian Goose
- Red-Breasted Goose
- Upland Goose
Gulls
- Andean gull
- Common Gull
- Gray Gull
- Ivory Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Little Gull
- Mediterranean Gull
- Pacific Gull
- Red-Billed Gull
- Swallow-Tailed Gull
Hawks
- Broad-Winged Hawk
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Ferruginous Hawk
- Gray Hawk
- Harris’s Hawk
- Osprey
- Red-Shouldered Hawk
- Red-Tailed Hawk
- Rough-Legged Hawk
- Sharp-Shinned Hawk
- Swainson’s Hawk
- White-Tailed Hawk
- Zone-Tailed Hawk
Herons
- American Bittern
- Cattle Egret
- Glossy Ibis
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Green Heron
- Limpkin
- Little Blue Heron
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Sandhill Crane
- Snowy Egret
- Tricolored Heron
- White Ibis
- Whooping Crane
- Wood Stork
- Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Hummingbirds
- Allen’s Hummingbird
- Anna’s Hummingbird
- Bee Hummingbird (This is the smallest bird!)
- Black-Chinned Hummingbird
- Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
- Calliope Hummingbird
- Costa’s Hummingbird
- Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
- Rufous Hummingbird
Jays
- Beautiful Jay
- Blue Jay
- California Scrub Jay
- Canada jay
- Eurasian Jay
- Florida Scrub Jay
- Henderson’s Ground Jay
- Pinyon Jay
- Steller’s Jay
Kingfishers
- Amazon Kingfisher
- Azure Kingfisher
- Belted Kingfisher
- Collard Kingfisher
- Common Kingfisher
- Forest Kingfisher
- Little Kingfisher
- Sacred Kingfisher
Nuthatches
- Brown-Headed Nuthatch
- Eurasian Nuthatch
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Red-Breasted Nuthatch
- White-Breasted Nuthatch
Ostriches
- Arabian Ostrich
- Common Ostrich (This is the biggest bird!)
- Masai Ostrich
- North African Ostrich
- Southern Ostrich
Owls
- Barn Owl
- Eastern Screech Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Long-Eared Owl
- Oriental Bay Owl
- Snowy Owl
- Speckled Owl
- Tawny Owl
Parrots
- African Grey
- Amazon Parrot
- Macaw
- Senegal Parrot
Penguins
- Adelie Penguin
- Chinstrap Penguin
- Emperor Penguin
- King Penguin
- Macaroni Penguin
- Rockhopper Penguin
Pigeons
- Berne Lark
- Domestic Pigeon
- Homing Pigeon
- King Pigeon
Ravens
- Australian Raven
- Common Raven
- Forest Rave
- Pied Raven
- Thick-Billed Raven
Seabirds
Like game birds, seabirds contain many different types of birds.
- Albatross
- Booby
- Cormorant
- Pelican
- Petrel
Shorebirds
- American Golden Plover
- Baird’s Sandpiper
- Sanderling
Sparrows
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- House Sparrow
- Rock Sparrow
- Russet Sparrow
- Spanish Sparrow
- True Sparrow
Swallows
- Bank Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Cave Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
- Purple Martin
- Tree Swallow
- Violet-Green Swallow
Swans
- Black Swan
- Black-Necked Swan
- Mute Swan
- Trumpeter Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Whooper Swan
Swifts
- Antillean Palm Swift
- Chimney Swift
- Common Swift
- Edible-Nest Swift
- White-Collared Swift
Terns
- Arctic Tern
- Black Tern
- Common Tern
- Elegant Tern
- Lesser Tern
- River Tern
- Sandwich Tern
Thrushes
- American Robin
- Bicknell’s Thrush
- Gray-Cheeked Thrush
- Eastern Bluebird
- Wood Thrush
Warblers
- Arctic Warbler
- Blue-Winged Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Kentucky Warbler
- Palm Warbler
Woodpeckers
- Downy Woodpecker
- Grey-Headed Woodpecker
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
- Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Wrens
- Carolina Wren
- Eurasian Wren
- House Wren
- Marsh Wren
- Winter Wren
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