Common Birds Flashcards Preview

Owing to its bright red color, the male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird.

This particular species is the Mourning Dove, which gets its name from its mournful call. It is commonly seen perched on electrical wires and plucking the ground looking for seeds or worms of any kind.

Pigeons and doves belong to the same family of birds (Columbidae), although the pigeon does not have the pristine image of “peace” that the dove brings with it.

Robins come in a diverse array of shapes and sizes globally, but this particular bird—the American Robin—is very common across North America.

This particular species is the Blue Jay, a large songbird with a perky crest; blue, white, and black plumage; and noisy calls.

The Red-Winged Blackbird is one of the most abundant birds across North America, and one of the most boldly colored.

This image shows the Common or European Starling, a medium-sized bird, often seen in great flocks, with glossy black plumage speckled with white at some times of year.

The handsome little American Goldfinch, unmistakable in its brilliant yellow and black plumage in summer, is the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington and is a common (and welcome) visitor at feeders.

This particular bird is a Canada Goose, a large wild goose with a black head and neck, and unmistakable white chin-strap.

It’s native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America and occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe.

This is the Downy Woodpecker, the smallest species of woodpecker in North America and also among the most common. Woodpeckers use their beaks to drill into wood for larvae and small insects.

The Mallard Duck is probably the most recognized and widespread duck in the world, with its iridescent bottle-green head and bright orange feet. Females are a duller, though strikingly patterned, brown.

Sparrows are a diverse group of small song birds found all around the world. In fact, there are more than 140 different species of them globally!

The one on the left, the Song Sparrow, is famous for its beautiful singing and is one of the most familiar North American sparrows.

The one on the right is a House Sparrow, who are known to be extremely adaptable. They have been found in Death Valley at 280 feet (85 m) below sea level and in the Rocky Mountains in areas over 10,000 feet (3048 m).

Herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds with 64 recognized species worldwide!

This one is the Great Blue Heron of North America and it uses its long, spear-like beak to hunt fish in shallow ponds and tidal flats.

Mockingbirds are a group of perching song birds that are best known for mimicking (mocking) the songs of other birds, as well as the sounds of insects and frogs, often loudly and in rapid succession.

This one is the Northern Mockingbird, the most common member of this group in North America.

Hawks are a diverse group of raptors (meat-eating birds), but this one, the Red-Tailed Hawk, is the most common in North America.

They are large hawks with broad, rounded wings, a short, wide (red) tail, and an iconic cry you’ll recognize from most western films!

Most people are familiar with the striking image of the American Bald Eagle, but there are actually around 60 species of eagles in the world.

These large raptors prey on smaller birds, rodents, animals, fish and, in some cases, even monkeys!

Falcons are small- to medium-sized birds of prey known for their incredible agility and speed. In fact, this one, the Peregrine Falcon, can achieve top speeds of 186 mph (300 kph), making it the world’s fastest animal.

It’s also the most widely distributed bird in the world, found on all continents except Antarctica.