Birds

African penguin

Spheniscus demersus

The African penguin is the only penguin that breeds in Africa and is now Critically Endangered. Its looks, braying calls, colonies, diet, breeding and threats.

CRCritically Endangered

American crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

The American crow is a glossy black, highly intelligent bird found across North America. Facts on its size, calls, diet, family life, roosts and lifespan.

American flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

The American flamingo is the brightest pink flamingo, a filter feeder of Caribbean lagoons. Facts on its size, color, diet, mud nests, range and lifespan.

American goldfinch

Spinus tristis

The American goldfinch is a small North American finch that molts twice a year and eats almost only seeds. Facts on its size, colors, diet, nesting and range.

American robin

Turdus migratorius

The American robin is North America's most widespread thrush, known for its orange breast and blue eggs. Facts on its size, diet, nests, song and range.

Andean condor

Vultur gryphus

The Andean condor is a huge South American vulture with a wingspan near 3 m (10 ft). Facts on its size, soaring flight, diet, breeding, long life and status.

Arctic tern

Sterna paradisaea

The Arctic tern is a small gray-and-white seabird that flies from the Arctic to Antarctica and back each year. Facts on its size, diet, colonies and lifespan.

Atlantic puffin

Fratercula arctica

The Atlantic puffin is a small North Atlantic seabird with a bright breeding bill. Facts on its size, burrows, fish diet, chick, lifespan and Vulnerable status.

Bald eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

The bald eagle is North America's sea eagle and the US national bird. Facts on its size, white head, fish diet, giant nests, range, lifespan and DDT recovery.

Barn owl

Tyto alba

The barn owl is a pale, heart-faced owl found on every continent but Antarctica. Facts on its size, silent flight, hearing, prey, nesting, lifespan and status.

Barn swallow

Hirundo rustica

The barn swallow is the world's most widespread swallow: a fork-tailed insect hunter that nests in barns and migrates between continents. Size, diet, lifespan.

Black-capped chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

The black-capped chickadee is a tiny, bold North American songbird with a black cap and bib, noted for its alarm calls, food caching and surviving hard winters.

Blue jay

Cyanocitta cristata

The blue jay is a loud, crested corvid of eastern North America. Facts on its size, blue color, calls, hawk mimicry, acorn caching, nesting and lifespan.

Brown pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

The brown pelican is the smallest pelican and the only one that plunge-dives for fish. Facts on its size, pouch, colonies, range and recovery from DDT.

Budgerigar

Melopsittacus undulatus

The budgerigar is a small green-and-yellow parrot of Australia's dry interior that roams in nomadic flocks. Wild facts on its size, diet, nests and lifespan.

California condor

Gymnogyps californianus

The California condor is North America's largest flying land bird, a bald-headed scavenger saved from extinction by captive breeding. Size, diet and threats.

CRCritically Endangered

Canada goose

Branta canadensis

The Canada goose is a large black-necked goose native to North America and introduced to Europe. Facts on size, migration, diet, nesting, lifespan and status.

Common kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

The common kingfisher is a sparrow-sized blue and orange bird of rivers in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Its size, fishing dives, burrow nests and lifespan.

Common loon

Gavia immer

The common loon, or great northern diver, is a large diving bird of northern lakes famous for its haunting calls. Size, diving, nesting, range and lifespan.

Common ostrich

Struthio camelus

The common ostrich is the largest living bird, up to 2.75 m tall and 130 kg. Facts on its speed, two-toed feet, giant eggs, shared nests, range and status.

Common raven

Corvus corax

The common raven is a huge all-black songbird of the Northern Hemisphere, famous for deep croaks, play and problem-solving. Size, diet, nests, lifespan, myths.

Common swift

Apus apus

The common swift is a dark, sickle-winged bird that feeds, drinks and sleeps on the wing for most of the year. Size, diet, nesting, migration and decline.

Dodo

Raphus cucullatus

The dodo was a flightless giant pigeon from Mauritius that died out by about 1700. Facts on its size, looks, diet, relatives, extinction and revival plans.

EXExtinct

Emperor penguin

Aptenodytes forsteri

The emperor penguin is the largest penguin and the only bird that breeds on Antarctic sea ice in winter. Size, diving, huddles, chicks, range and threats.

ENEndangered

Emu

Dromaius novaehollandiae

The emu is Australia's tallest native bird, a flightless runner up to 1.9 m tall. Size, speed, diet, green eggs, devoted fathers, lifespan and conservation.

Eurasian blue tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

The Eurasian blue tit is a tiny blue-and-yellow songbird of European woods and gardens, famous for acrobatic feeding and huge clutches. Size, diet, nesting.

Eurasian eagle-owl

Bubo bubo

The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest owls on Earth, with orange eyes, ear tufts and a wingspan near 1.9 m. Size, diet, range, breeding and status.

Eurasian magpie

Pica pica

The Eurasian magpie is a long-tailed black-and-white crow of Europe and Asia. Facts on its size, diet, domed nests, intelligence, lifespan and famous myths.

European robin

Erithacus rubecula

The European robin is a small orange-breasted songbird of Europe's gardens and woods. Facts on its size, song, fierce territories, nests, lifespan and range.

European starling

Sturnus vulgaris

The European starling is a glossy, speckled songbird famous for mimicry and huge murmurations. Facts on its size, diet, nests, lifespan and spread to America.

Golden eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

The golden eagle is the most widespread eagle in the world, a dark brown hunter of hares and ground squirrels with 2 m wings. Size, range, diet and threats.

Great blue heron

Ardea herodias

The great blue heron is North America's largest heron. Facts on its size, slow flight, fish diet, treetop colonies, the white Florida form, migration and range.

Great horned owl

Bubo virginianus

The great horned owl is a big, tufted owl found from Alaska to Central America. Facts on its size, deep hoots, strong grip, skunk-eating diet and winter nests.

Greater flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

The greater flamingo is the largest and most widespread flamingo, found from Spain and France to Africa and India. Its size, diet, colonies and lifespan.

Greater roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus

The greater roadrunner is a fast-running ground cuckoo of the US Southwest and Mexico. Facts on its speed, size, diet of lizards and snakes, nesting and status.

Harpy eagle

Harpia harpyja

The harpy eagle is a huge rainforest eagle of Central and South America that hunts sloths and monkeys. Facts on its size, talons, diet, breeding and status.

Herring gull

Larus argentatus

The herring gull is the large gray-backed seagull of European coasts and towns. Facts on its size, plumage, diet, rooftop nests, chicks, lifespan and decline.

House sparrow

Passer domesticus

The house sparrow is a small, chirpy seed-eater that lives alongside people on every inhabited continent. Facts on its size, plumage, diet, nesting and decline.

Indian peafowl

Pavo cristatus

The Indian peafowl is the peacock of India and Sri Lanka, famous for the male's eyespot train. Facts on its size, calls, diet, breeding, lifespan and range.

King penguin

Aptenodytes patagonicus

The king penguin is the second-largest penguin, with bright orange ear patches and huge sub-Antarctic colonies. Size, diving, diet, chicks, range and status.

Laughing kookaburra

Dacelo novaeguineae

The laughing kookaburra is a giant Australian kingfisher famous for its laughing call. Facts on its size, family groups, diet of snakes and lizards, and range.

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

The mallard is the world's most familiar wild duck and the ancestor of most farm ducks. Facts on drakes and hens, size, diet, nesting, ducklings and lifespan.

Mourning dove

Zenaida macroura

The mourning dove is a slender gray-brown North American dove known for its soft, sad cooing and whistling wings. Facts on size, diet, nests and lifespan.

Mute swan

Cygnus olor

The mute swan is a huge white swan with an orange bill and black knob, native to Europe and Asia. Facts on its size, weight, diet, nesting, voice and range.

North Island brown kiwi

Apteryx mantelli

The North Island brown kiwi is New Zealand's most common kiwi: a flightless, nocturnal bird with nostrils at its bill tip, a giant egg and Vulnerable status.

Northern cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

The northern cardinal is a crested red songbird of eastern North America and the state bird of seven US states. Facts on its size, song, diet, nests and range.

Northern mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

The northern mockingbird is a gray songbird famous for copying other sounds. Facts on its size, songs, night singing, nest defense, range and lifespan.

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

The osprey is a fish-eating hawk found on every continent but Antarctica. Facts on its size, feet-first dives, stick nests, long migrations and DDT recovery.

Peregrine falcon

Falco peregrinus

The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth, diving at over 300 km/h. Facts on its size, bird diet, worldwide range, city nests and recovery from DDT.

Pileated woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

The pileated woodpecker is North America's largest common woodpecker, a crow-sized bird with a red crest. Facts on its size, carpenter ant diet, nests, range.

Red-tailed hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

The red-tailed hawk is North America's most common large hawk. How to identify it, plus facts on its size, rodent diet, nests, migration, scream and lifespan.

Rock pigeon

Columba livia

The rock pigeon is the wild cliff bird behind every city pigeon and homing pigeon. Facts on its size, range, nests, crop milk, intelligence and history.

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds in eastern North America. Facts on its size, wingbeats, diet, nest, migration and lifespan.

Sandhill crane

Antigone canadensis

The sandhill crane is the most numerous crane on Earth: a tall gray bird with a red crown and bugling call. Facts on its size, dances, diet, migration and life.

Scarlet macaw

Ara macao

The scarlet macaw is a large red, yellow and blue parrot of tropical American forests. Facts on its size, diet, clay licks, nesting, lifespan and conservation.

Secretary bird

Sagittarius serpentarius

The secretary bird is an African bird of prey with an eagle's body on crane-like legs that kills prey by stamping. Facts on its size, diet, nesting and status.

ENEndangered

Shoebill

Balaeniceps rex

The shoebill is a giant gray wading bird of African swamps with a huge shoe-shaped bill. Its size, lungfish diet, statue-like hunting and Vulnerable status.

Snowy owl

Bubo scandiacus

The snowy owl is a large white owl of the Arctic tundra that hunts lemmings by day. Facts on its plumage, size, nomadic breeding, winter irruptions and status.

Southern cassowary

Casuarius casuarius

The southern cassowary is a huge flightless rainforest bird of New Guinea and Queensland with a blue neck, a tall casque and a dagger claw. Size, diet, habits.

Tawny owl

Strix aluco

The tawny owl is a stocky brown or gray woodland owl of Europe, famous for its hooting. Facts on its size, calls, diet, territories, nesting and lifespan.

Toco toucan

Ramphastos toco

The toco toucan is the largest toucan, a black and white South American bird with a huge orange bill. Facts on its size, beak, fruit diet, nesting and range.

Turkey vulture

Cathartes aura

The turkey vulture is the most widespread vulture in the Americas. Facts on its bare red head, wobbly soaring, keen sense of smell, diet, range and lifespan.

Wandering albatross

Diomedea exulans

The wandering albatross has the longest wings of any living bird, about 3 m (10 ft) across. Facts on its soaring flight, slow breeding, long life and threats.

White stork

Ciconia ciconia

The white stork is a tall black-and-white bird that nests on rooftops and migrates from Europe to Africa. Facts on its size, diet, bill-clattering and comeback.

Wild turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

The wild turkey is North America's largest game bird and ancestor of the farm turkey. Facts on its size, snood and beard, gobbling, flight, diet and comeback.