Birds Encyclopedia

Waxwing — The waxwings form the genus Bombycilla of passerine birds in the family Bombycillidae, suborder Passeri & order Passeriformes. According to most authorities, this is the only genus placed in the family Bombycillidae. Waxwings are characterised by soft silky plumage. They have unique red tips to some of the wing feathers where the shafts extend beyond the barbs; in …

Warbler — There are a number of passerine birds, order Passeriformes, which are called warblers. They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, active and insectivorous.They are mostly brownish or dull greenish in color, of small size, easier seen than heard, and harder to determine to species. The Old World warblers are more …

Vireo — The vireos are a small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Vireonidae, suborder Passeri & order Passeriformes (mostly) restricted to the New World. They are typically dull-plumaged and greenish in color, the smaller species resembling wood warblers apart from their heavier bills. They range in size from the Choco Vireo, Dwarf Vireo and Lesser Greenlet, all at …

Turkey — A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, subfamily Meleagridinae, family Phasianidae & order Galliformes. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species. The other living species is Meleagris ocellata or the Ocellated Turkey, native to the …

Toucan — Toucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species. The name of this bird group is derived from the Tupi word tukana, via …

Thrush — The thrushes, family Turdidae suborder Passeri in the order Passeriformes, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide. Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at 21 g (0.74 oz) and 14.5 cm (5.7 in). …

Thrasher — Thrashers are a New World group of passerine birds in the Passeriformes related to mockingbirds and New World catbirds. Like these, they are in the Mimidae family. There are 15 species in one large and 4 monotypic genera. These do not form a clade but are a phenetic assemblage. It is rather likely than not – though by …

Tanager — The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in Passeri the order Passeriformes. The family has an American distribution. There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family’s members is currently in a state of flux. As more of these birds are studied using modern molecular techniques it is expected that some genera …

Stork — Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families. Storks occur in many regions of the world and tend to live in drier habitats than the related herons, spoonbills …

Stone Curlew — The Stone Curlew, Eurasian Thick-knee, or Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family. It is a fairly large wader though is mid-sized by the standards of its family. Length ranges from 38 to 46 cm (15 to 18 in), wingspan from 76 to 88 cm (30 to 35 in) and …