Fowl
The terms Fowl and Poultry are often used interchangeably, but scientifically speaking Fowl birds are of the Superorder Galloanserae.
Gruiformes
Gruiformes are birds with long legs, necks and beaks. Gruiformes have elaborate courtship rituals and form large flocks.
Perching Birds
Perching birds, or songbirds, are the most common birds on Earth. From Cardindals to Wrens, explore the different types of perching birds. See the full list.
- Weaver Birds (Video)Weaver Bird dads spend the majority of their lives building nests to impress females. However, if the female is not immediately impressed by his handiwork, the male takes offense and chases his potential mate off.
Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers are birds that feed by "pecking" or boring into wood in search of insects to eat. Woodpeckers are found around the world.
Other Birds
Biodiversity if an amazing and wonderful thing. But it also means that there are many types of birds that don't fit into a specific categories. Read about all types of strange but beautiful birds in this section. See full list.
- How Can Owls Fly Silently?It can be scary to have an owl fly in front of you without it making a sound. Find out if this phenomena's a supernatural power or something as simple as the hip bone's connected to the tail bone.
- CuckooThe cuckoo is a large and diverse family of birds found all over the world.
- EmuThe emu is a large bird from Australia that does not fly.
- HornbillA Hornbill is a large tropical bird from Africa and southeastern Asia.
- HummingbirdHummingbird, a small American bird that makes a humming noise with its rapidly moving wings.
- Hummingbird FactsWhen early Spanish explorers first encountered hummingbirds in the New World, they called them joyas voladoras--or "flying jewels." Learn more about hummingbirds and their amazing bodily feats.
- KiwiThe kiwi is a bird found in New Zealand that does not fly.
- KookaburraThe Kookaburra is from Australia and New Guinea.
- LoonThe Loon is a large waterbird from the Northern Hemisphere.
- LovebirdLovebirds are small parrots noted for the affection they show for each other.
- MacawThe Macaw is a type of brilliantly colored parrots found in Mexico and South America.
- OstrichAn Ostrich is a large bird from the grasslands of Africa that does not fly.
- Ostrich FactsOstrichs are a large, flightless bird that live in the dry grasslands of Africa. Ostriches are raised for their feathers and skins in South Africa, Egypt, and California. They form the single remaining species in an ancient, primitive order of birds.
- OwlsThe owl is a bird of prey found in most parts of the world except Antarctica.
- ParakeetThe Parakeet is a popular cage bird from the parrot family.
- RedbirdThe Redbird is a popular name for various birds that are usually red in color.
- RoadrunnerThe Roadrunner is a bird in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico that is known for its speed.
- PelicanThe Pelican is a water bird with a pouch on the bottom part of its bill.
- Macaws in Costa Rica (Video)Because of deforestation and poaching in Costa Rica, macaws are an endangered species. Watch this Reuters video to see how one couple built a bird sanctuary and helped to reinvigorate the macaw population.
- Natural Habitat for Birds (Video)Explore a simulated habitat at the Smithsonian National Zoo.
- Parrot Solves Puzzles (Video)Watch this Reuters video showing a very smart parrot that can solve chain puzzles in less than 30 seconds. The female New World parrot uses her beak and foot to free entangled chains; no human has ever beat her in a race.
Subject Guide
Birds of Prey
Birds of prey tend to have excellent eyesight and attack with their sharp talons. Read how eagles can fly over thunderclouds, owls can hunt in pitch black and much more.
Seabirds
Seabirds is a generic term literally for birds that live and feed near or in the sea. Seabirds commonly include terns, gulls, auks and even penguins.
Waterfowl
Waterfowl, which include ducks, geese and swans, are fowl that live in and around water. Most are strong swimmers with medium to large bodies.
Wading Birds
Wading birds generally are tall, sleek birds with long beaks which they use to hunt in shallow waters. The herons are an exception but are still generally included as a wading bird.
