Do you have any idea what type of bird this is?
Knowing the main types of birds will help you identify and understand birds easier. Here are the main categories or types of birds that can be found throughout the world.
As I’ve talked about before, birds are everywhere in the world and serve as a great way to begin learning about the natural world. Observing birds requires no special skills or equipment, making it easy for anyone to do. A little bit of background knowledge will greatly aid you in your quest to learn more about birds. Here are the main types or kinds of birds that you can find to help you in your knowledge of the natural world.
Why Is Learning The Main Types Of Birds Helpful?
Birds live in different habitats throughout the entire world. Some fly over the oceans, others live in forests, and others live in the coldest places on Earth.
There are about 10,000 species of birds in the world. With so many birds in the world it can be a bit overwhelming or intimidating to begin learning about them. Luckily most of them fall into one of these main categories.
Knowing the general category a bird belongs to will help you identify the specific type of bird. Additionally, that knowledge will give you some insights into the behavior of that bird. The next time you hear someone talking about a wading bird or bird of prey you’ll know what they are talking about.
What Are These Categories Based On?
Keep in mind that there are many different ways and schemes that people have for organizing birds. They can be grouped by their scientific family. Or they can be grouped based solely on their appearance.
I have based these main types of birds based on a combination of their family and appearance in a way that will be most useful for readers. First, look at the overall shape of the bird. Is it tall? Short? Does it have long legs? Short legs? Secondly, look at the bill. The bill will give you some good clues about the bird. Is the bill sharp and pointed or short and stubby?
For more help check out these 6 tips on identifying birds for beginners.
The 5 Main Types Of Birds
Sparrows are a very common songbird.
Songbirds
This is by far the largest group of birds in the world. There are nearly 4,000 species of songbirds throughout the world. The main characteristic that these birds all share is the ability to sing. Some common songbirds include blue jays, crows, ravens, and house sparrows.
A beautiful red-tailed hawk is a bird of prey.
Birds Of Prey
These are the hunters. Birds of prey tend to be fast fliers and have bills and talons that help them catch and eat their prey. They have sharp bills and big, sharp talons to grasp fish (such as an Osprey) or rodents.
Some common birds of prey include hawks, eagles, ospreys, and owls.
A seagull is a common sea bird.
Sea Birds
Some birds spend their entire lives living on or near the ocean. They may nest on offshore islands, fly long distances, and eat fish. The main times you will see these sea birds is when you are near the coast, ocean, or sometimes on large lakes.
Some of the common seabirds include seagulls, pelicans, albatrosses, petrels, and cormorants.
A mallard is a common water bird.
Water Birds
Water birds are those birds that live near water (not the ocean). They spend their time floating on the water and eat aquatic vegetation, fish, frogs, or other small animals. Some common water birds include ducks and geese.
A great egret is a common wading bird. Look at those long legs.
Wading Birds
The main characteristic that these birds have that will help you easily identify them is their long legs. They have long legs and usually a long, pointed bill that they use to spear fish or other animals. Generally they can be found walking in wetlands as they search for food. Some common wading birds include egrets and herons.