A-Z of Birds

Crows

Australian Raven

The Australian raven, Corvus coronoides, belongs to the genus Corvus which includes around 45 widely distributed species from the family Corvidae (aka. the Corvids). Like most of its relatives, the Australian Raven has largely black plumage, though some of its upper parts have a glossy purple, blue and green sheen. Strong in shape and form with a powerful heavy-set beak, the Australian raven is a highly adaptable species that lives in both natural and urban environments.

Avocets and stilts

Avocet

A conservation success story reintroduced this elegant wading bird back to our shores after the second World War.

Kites, hawks and eagles

Bald Eagle

Closely associated with rivers and coastlines, the majestic Bald Eagle is America's national bird. A symbol of strength and power, and a sacred symbol for many Native American peoples, these eagles are one of the most recognizable birds on Earth.

Petrels and shearwaters

Balearic Shearwater

Balearic shearwaters are one of Europe’s most critically endangered species, with breeding limited to specific locations in Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. International conservation efforts are in place to attempt to reverse a worrying decline in numbers.

Warblers

Balearic Warbler

This small but long tailed, large headed warbler, is a resident of the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean where it is common, although is not present on the island of Menorca.

Sandpipers, snipes and phalaropes

Bar-tailed Godwit

Unremarkable in appearance but with record-breaking stamina, the Bar-tailed Godwit spends the summer nesting on top of the world in the Arctic and heads south to spend the winter along estuaries and beaches from the United Kingdom to New Zealand.

Owls

Barn Owl

The most widespread owl species, Barn Owls occur as 32 subspecies on every continent except Antarctica.

Swallows and martins

Barn Swallow

The Barn Swallow is one of the world's most widespread birds, and many birdwatchers eagerly await their return each spring. Known simply as the Swallow in the United Kingdom, these migratory birds have different plumages but similar life histories in the New and Old Worlds.

Ducks, geese and swans

Barnacle Goose

A small and strikingly marked goose of the north, Barnacle Geese were once believed to grow from barnacles. We now know that these migratory wildfowl breed in the Arctic, often nesting on precipitous cliffs to protect their eggs from predators.