Trusted wildlife guides

Monday, 5 October 2026

Global Animal Guide

Animals A–Z index Conservation Wildlife help

Birds

The guide features 88 species in the bird class. Each profile answers the most-searched questions first.

What are birds?

Birds are warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrates and the only living animals with feathers. Their bodies are built around flight — even flightless species share the blueprint: lightweight bones, a toothless beak, and a high-powered four-chambered heart. There are roughly 11,000 species worldwide, from hummingbirds weighing under 2 grams to the 2.7-metre ostrich, living everywhere from the open ocean to city centres.

Free-range chicken foraging in farmyard

Bird

Chicken

The world's most common bird

Wandering albatross gliding over ocean

Bird

Wandering Albatross

The widest wingspan on Earth

Southern cassowary with casque and blue neck

Bird

Southern Cassowary

The world's most dangerous bird

California condor soaring with white underwing triangles and numbered wing tag visible

Critically Endangered

Bird

California Condor

North America's largest flying land bird

Moss-green kākāpō with owl-like face standing on fern-covered New Zealand forest floor

Critically Endangered

Bird

Kakapo

Flightless nocturnal parrot of New Zealand

Scarlet macaw with red body and blue-and-yellow wing covert perched on a rainforest canopy branch

Bird

Scarlet Macaw

Iconic red-and-blue rainforest parrot

Emperor penguin with a chick standing on Antarctic ice

Near Threatened

Bird

Emperor Penguin

The largest penguin, built for the Antarctic winter

Greater flamingo standing in shallow water at golden hour with reflection

Bird

Flamingo

The pink filter-feeder that stands on one leg

Osprey diving talons-first toward water with white head and dark eye stripe visible

Bird

Osprey

The fish-hunting raptor of coasts and lakes

Sulphur-crested cockatoo with raised yellow crest in eucalyptus

Bird

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Australia's loud crested parrot

Rooster with red comb crowing at sunrise in a farmyard

Bird

Rooster

The crowing guardian of the barnyard flock

White whooping crane with black wingtips and red crown walking in a coastal marsh

Bird

Whooping Crane

Tallest North American bird and conservation icon

Bald eagle with a white head and yellow beak perched on a branch

Bird

Bald Eagle

The fish-hunting raptor and national bird of the United States

Canada geese flying in V formation

Bird

Canada Goose

The honking V-formation flyer

Secretary bird with crest quills and orange facial skin striding through dry grassland

Bird

Secretary Bird

Long-legged raptor that stamps snakes

Rhinoceros hornbill with orange casque perched in rainforest canopy

Bird

Rhinoceros Hornbill

The thunderbird of Borneo's rainforest

Peach-faced lovebird with rosy face perched on a branch

Bird

Peach-faced Lovebird

Africa's pocket parrot that bonds for life

Male Andean condor with black plumage, white neck ruff, and fleshy head comb on a cliff ledge

Bird

Andean Condor

Giant New World vulture of the Andes

Hyacinth macaw with deep cobalt plumage and yellow eye-ring perched on a palm frond

Bird

Hyacinth Macaw

Largest flying parrot, cobalt blue

Emu standing in Australian outback

Bird

Emu

Australia's flightless giant

Male ring-necked pheasant with long tail in autumn field

Bird

Common Pheasant

The ring-necked game bird of field and forest

Kea with orange underwing coverts flashing as it perches on alpine scree

Bird

Kea

Alpine parrot renowned for curiosity

Sandhill crane pair dancing with wings spread

Bird

Sandhill Crane

North America's dancing crane

Shoebill standing in papyrus with oversized hooked grey bill facing the camera

Bird

Shoebill

Giant swamp bird with a shoe-shaped bill

Breeding common loon with black head and white-checkered back floating on a still boreal lake

Bird

Common Loon

Iconic diving bird of northern lakes

Male peacock displaying its full iridescent blue and green tail fan

Bird

Peacock

The dazzling showman of the bird world

Brown pelican diving into ocean for fish

Bird

Brown Pelican

The plunge-diving fisher

Yellow canary perched on a cage bar singing

Bird

Canary

The singing island finch of parlours worldwide

Common kestrel hovering with fanned tail and pointed wings against a pale sky

Bird

Common Kestrel

Hovering falcon of fields and roadsides

Blue-footed booby lifting bright turquoise feet in a courtship display on bare rock

Bird

Blue-footed Booby

Plunge-diving seabird with vivid blue feet

Male wild turkey displaying fanned tail

Bird

Wild Turkey

North America's ground bird

Male house sparrow with grey crown and black bib perched on a brick wall

Bird

House Sparrow

Ubiquitous sparrow of towns and farms

Takahē with indigo-blue body, green back, and stout red bill in alpine tussock grassland

Bird

South Island Takahe

Flightless purple swamphen of New Zealand

White stork standing on nest atop building

Bird

White Stork

Europe's chimney-nesting messenger

Male magnificent frigatebird with inflated scarlet gular pouch soaring over mangroves

Bird

Magnificent Frigatebird

Aerial pirate with a scarlet throat pouch

Male superb lyrebird with lyre-shaped tail plumes fanned over a display mound in rainforest

Bird

Superb Lyrebird

Master mimic of Australian forests

Great spotted woodpecker on tree trunk

Bird

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Europe's drumming carpenter

Barn owl with a heart-shaped white face perched on a wooden post at dusk

Bird

Barn Owl

The ghostly, heart-faced night hunter

Grey heron standing still at water edge

Bird

Grey Heron

The patient wetland hunter

Northern goshawk with barred grey underparts launching through a mature pine forest

Bird

Northern Goshawk

Powerful forest hawk of the north

Blue tit with cobalt cap and yellow breast hanging upside-down on a peanut feeder

Bird

Blue Tit

Acrobatic garden tit of Europe

Barn swallow in flight showing deeply forked tail streamers and rufous throat

Bird

Barn Swallow

Fork-tailed aerial insectivore of farms

Great tit with black head, white cheeks, and yellow belly striped with a black ventral line

Bird

Great Tit

Bold black-capped tit of Eurasian gardens

Adult ostrich standing on dry African grassland with long neck and large eyes

Bird

Ostrich

The largest and fastest bird on land

European robin with a bright orange-red breast perched on a frosty twig in winter

Bird

European Robin

Britain's beloved red-breasted garden bird

Breeding male American goldfinch with lemon-yellow body and black forehead on a thistle head

Bird

American Goldfinch

Bright yellow finch of North American fields

Nightingale perched in dense scrub with plain brown plumage and large dark eye

Bird

Nightingale

Famed nocturnal songster of European spring

Brown kiwi foraging at night on the New Zealand forest floor, showing its long bill and rounded body

Bird

Kiwi

New Zealand's flightless nocturnal bird with nostrils at the tip of its bill

American crow with glossy black feathers perched on a bare branch

Bird

Crow

The glossy black genius of the bird world

Eurasian magpie with black-and-white plumage and iridescent wings perched on a fence

Bird

Magpie

The bold, brilliant problem-solver of the crow family

Ruby-throated hummingbird hovering beside a red flower with wings blurred in motion

Bird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

A tiny hovering bird with a blazing throat

Rock pigeon with blue-grey plumage and iridescent green-purple neck standing on stone

Bird

Pigeon

The city bird with an extraordinary sense of direction

Mute swan gliding on calm water with wings arched, white plumage and orange beak

Bird

Swan

The graceful giant of lakes and rivers

African grey parrot with pale grey feathers and a bright red tail perched on a branch

Bird

African Grey Parrot

One of the most intelligent talking birds

Male common blackbird with glossy black plumage and orange-yellow beak on a mossy branch

Bird

Blackbird

The glossy garden thrush with a golden song

Northern harrier gliding low over a marsh with white rump patch and owl-like facial disc visible

Bird

Northern Harrier

Owl-faced hawk of North American marshes

Roseate spoonbill wading in shallow lagoon with pink plumage and spatulate bill sweeping the water

Bird

Roseate Spoonbill

Pink wader with a sweeping spoon bill

American white ibis probing wet lawn with curved red bill and black-tipped wings folded

Bird

American White Ibis

Red-billed white wader of the Southeast

Wood stork standing in shallow swamp with dark bald head and thick downcurved bill

Bird

Wood Stork

Tactile-fishing stork of southern swamps

Jabiru stork wading in flooded savanna with black neck, red neck base, and enormous bill

Bird

Jabiru

Giant stork of Neotropical wetlands

Male satin bowerbird arranging blue plastic and berries at a twig bower on forest floor

Bird

Satin Bowerbird

Blue-black architect of forest bowers

Northern gannet plunge-diving into grey Atlantic water with wings folded and yellow head

Bird

Northern Gannet

Plunge-diving giant of Atlantic cliffs

Common murre standing upright on narrow cliff ledge beside pear-shaped speckled egg

Bird

Common Murre

Pear-egg diver of northern sea cliffs

Willow ptarmigan in white winter plumage with black tail and red eyebrow on snowy tundra

Bird

Willow Ptarmigan

Snow-white grouse of Arctic willows

Ruffed grouse on log with raised black neck ruff and crested head in autumn forest

Bird

Ruffed Grouse

Drumming phantom of northern woods

Grey partridge pair walking through stubble field with chestnut face patches and barred flanks

Bird

Grey Partridge

Stubble-dwelling partridge of old farmlands

Male chaffinch perched on branch showing pink breast, blue-grey cap, and white wing bars

Bird

Common Chaffinch

Pink-breasted songbird of European woods

Flock of starlings swirling in dense murmuration against an orange winter sunset sky

Bird

Common Starling

Speckled invader of global cityscapes

Common swift with scythe-shaped wings screaming over red roof tiles at dusk

Bird

Common Swift

Screaming aerialist of summer rooftops

Snowy owl with white plumage and yellow eyes perched on snow-covered ground

Bird

Snowy Owl

The white owl of the Arctic tundra

Toco toucan with a large orange bill and black body perched on a branch

Bird

Toco Toucan

The rainforest bird with the giant colorful bill

Atlantic puffin with a colorful orange and blue bill standing on a grassy cliff

Bird

Atlantic Puffin

The colorful 'sea parrot' of the North Atlantic

Green and yellow budgerigar parakeet with black barring perched on a branch

Bird

Budgerigar

The little Australian parakeet and world's most popular pet bird

Peregrine falcon perched on a cliff ledge with slate-grey back and barred chest

Bird

Peregrine Falcon

The fastest animal on the planet

Golden eagle perched on a rocky crag showing golden-brown nape feathers and powerful talons

Bird

Golden Eagle

One of the largest and fastest birds of prey

Common kingfisher with bright blue back and orange chest perched over a river

Bird

Common Kingfisher

A jewel-colored diver of rivers and streams

Northern mockingbird perched on a branch with beak open, grey with white wing patches

Bird

Northern Mockingbird

The bird that learns 200+ songs and sings through the night

Red-tailed hawk perched on a branch showing its rust-red tail and hooked beak against a blue sky

Bird

Red-tailed Hawk

North America's most familiar soaring hawk

Glossy black common raven perched on a weathered branch with a thick beak

Bird

Common Raven

One of the world's most intelligent birds

Grey cockatiel with yellow crest and orange cheek patches perched on a wooden perch

Bird

Cockatiel

The crested Australian parrot known for whistling

Male mallard duck with iridescent green head and yellow bill floating on calm water

Bird

Mallard

The familiar wild duck found around the world

Great horned owl with prominent ear tufts and yellow eyes perched in a forest at dusk

Bird

Great Horned Owl

The powerful nocturnal hunter with feathered tufts

Blue jay with vivid blue crest and black necklace markings perched on an oak branch

Bird

Blue Jay

The bold, noisy blue songbird of North America

Brilliant red male northern cardinal with black face mask perched on a snowy branch

Bird

Northern Cardinal

The bright red songbird of North American gardens

American robin with orange-red breast standing on green grass

Bird

American Robin

The orange-breasted herald of spring

Griffon vulture with broad wings and pale bald head perched on a rocky crag

Bird

Vulture

Nature's clean-up crew on broad soaring wings

Small plump common quail with mottled brown plumage standing in grass

Bird

Quail

The small, secretive ground bird of fields and grassland

Sacred ibis with white body, black head, and long curved bill wading in shallow water

Bird

Ibis

The long-billed wading bird of marsh and river

Frequently asked questions

What are birds?

Birds are warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrates and the only living animals with feathers. Their bodies are built around flight — even flightless species share the blueprint: lightweight bones, a toothless beak, and a high-powered four-chambered heart. There are roughly 11,000 species worldwide, from hummingbirds weighing under 2 grams to the 2.7-metre ostrich, living everywhere from the open ocean to city centres.

How many birds are in the Global Animal Guide?

The Global Animal Guide currently features 88 birds with full, answer-first profiles covering diet, habitat, size, and conservation status.