Birds Encyclopedia

Bittern — Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family. They were called hæferblæte in Old English; the word “bittern” came to English from Old French butor, itself from Gallo-roman butitaurus, a portmanteau of Latin būtiō and …

Blue Jay — The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a passerine bird and member of the crow family Corvidae native to North America. It is adaptable, aggressive and omnivorous. The Blue Jay measures about 30 cm from bill to tail and weighs 70–100 g (2.47-3.53 ounces), with a wingspan of 34–43 cm (13–17 in). Its plumage is lavender-blue to mid-blue …

Bird of Paradise — The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species in this family are found on the island of New Guinea and its satellites, with a few species occurring in the Moluccas and eastern Australia. The family has forty species in 14 genera. The members of this family are perhaps …

Bee Eater — The bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa and Asia but others occur in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers. All have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a …

Becard — The becard is any bird of the genus Pachyramphus or Platypsaris in the COTINGA family, Cotingidae; 16 species are represented by numerous subspecies in tropical and subtropical America. The becards are characterized by their large heads with slight crest. The smaller members of this genus have graduated tails and most members are sexually dimorphic, although the Cinnamon Becard …

Avocet — The four species of Avocets are a genus, Recurvirostra, of waders in the same avian family as the stilts. Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills (giving their scientific name Recurvirostra) which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer. The plumage is pied, sometimes also with some …

Auklet — An auk is a bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits. Nevertheless they are not closely related to penguins, but rather are believed to be an example of moderate convergent evolution. Unlike penguins, modern auks can fly …