Birds, JAC-ORI

Hummingbirds, chickens, flamingos, pheasants: birds may come in all different shapes and sizes, but they all possess feathers, which is the easiest way to distinguish them from all other animals. Although not all species of bird can fly (sorry about that, ostriches), many birds do enjoy the power of flight, and this has permitted an almost unlimited diversification of birds, so that birds are now found virtually everywhere on Earth.
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Birds Encyclopedia Articles By Title

jacamar
jacamar, any of 18 species of tropical American birds that constitute the family Galbulidae (order Piciformes).......
jacana
jacana, any of several species of water birds belonging to the family Jacanidae of the order Charadriiformes. Jacanas......
jackdaw
jackdaw, (species Corvus monedula), crowlike black bird with gray nape and pearly eyes of the family Corvidae (q.v.;......
jaeger
jaeger, any of three species of seabirds belonging to the genus Stercorarius of the family Stercorariidae. They......
Java sparrow
Java sparrow, (Padda oryzivora), bird of the mannikin group in the family Estrildidae (order Passeriformes). One......
jay
jay, any of about 35 to 40 bird species belonging to the family Corvidae (order Passeriformes) that inhabit woodlands......
junco
junco, any of several birds of the genus Junco, small sparrows of the family Emberizidae. Juncos are about 15 cm......
jungle babbler
jungle babbler, any of about 32 species of songbirds constituting the tribe Pellorneini of the babbler family Timaliidae.......
jungle fowl
jungle fowl, any of four Asian birds of the genus Gallus, family Phasianidae (order Galliformes). (For Australian......
kagu
kagu, (Rhynochetus jubatus), nearly extinct and virtually flightless bird of New Caledonia, sole member of the......
kaka
kaka, New Zealand species of parrot...
kakapo
kakapo, (Strigops habroptilus), giant flightless nocturnal parrot (family Psittacidae) of New Zealand. With a face......
kea
kea, New Zealand parrot species of the subfamily Nestorinae. See...
kestrel
kestrel, any of several small birds of prey of the genus Falco (family Falconidae) known for their habit of hovering......
killdeer
killdeer, (Charadrius, sometimes Oxyechus, vociferus), American bird that frequents grassy mud flats, pastures,......
king penguin
king penguin, (Aptenodytes patagonicus), second largest member of the penguin order (Sphenisciformes), characterized......
kingbird
kingbird, (genus Tyrannus), any of 13 species of birds of the family Tyrannidae noted for their pugnacity. Although......
kingfisher
kingfisher, any of about 90 species of birds in three families (Alcedinidae, Halcyonidae, and Cerylidae), noted......
kinglet
kinglet, (genus Regulus), any of six species of small songbirds of the family Regulidae. Although among the smallest......
kiskadee
kiskadee, (genus Pitangus), either of two similar New World bird species of flycatchers (family Tyrannidae, order......
kite
kite, any of numerous birds of prey belonging to one of three subfamilies (Milvinae, Elaninae, Perninae) of the......
kittiwake
kittiwake, (Rissa tridactyla), oceanic gull, a white bird with pearl-gray mantle, black-tipped wings, black feet,......
kiwi
kiwi, any of five species of flightless birds belonging to the genus Apteryx and found in New Zealand. The name......
knot
knot, in zoology, any of several large, plump sandpiper birds in the genus Calidris of the subfamily Calidritinae......
kokako
kokako, (species Callaeas cinerea), New Zealand songbird of the family Callaeidae (order Passeriformes). The kokako......
kookaburra
kookaburra, (species Dacelo novaeguineae), eastern Australian bird of the kingfisher family (Alcedinidae), whose......
lammergeier
lammergeier, (Gypaetus barbatus), large eaglelike vulture of the Old World (family Accipitridae), frequently over......
lapwing
lapwing, any of numerous species of birds of the plover family, Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes), especially......
Laridae
Laridae, family of birds (of the order Charadriiformes) that comprises the gulls (subfamily Larinae) and the terns......
lark
lark, family name Alaudidae, any of approximately 90 species of a songbird family (order Passeriformes). Larks......
laughing dove
laughing dove, (Streptopelia senegalensis), bird of the pigeon family, Columbidae (order Columbiformes), a native......
laughing gull
laughing gull, common name for the bird species Larus atricilla. See...
laughing owl
laughing owl, (Sceloglaux albifacies), an extinct bird of the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes) that was native......
leafbird
leafbird, (genus Chloropsis), any of about 10 species of short-legged, grass-green birds (family Irenidae, order......
leghorn
leghorn, breed of chicken that originated in Italy and the only Mediterranean breed of importance today. Of the......
Leiothrix
Leiothrix, genus of birds of the babbler family Timaliidae (order Passeriformes), with two species: the silver-eared......
limpkin
limpkin, (species Aramus guarauna), large swamp bird of the American tropics, sole member of the family Aramidae......
linnet
linnet, (Carduelis, sometimes Acanthis, cannabina), seed-eating European finch of the family Fringillidae (order......
little owl
little owl, (Athene noctua), Old World burrowing owl about 20 cm (about 8 inches) long, belonging to the owl family......
long-eared owl
long-eared owl, (Asio otus), nocturnal bird of prey of the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes). Common to woodlands......
longclaw
longclaw, (genus Macronyx), any of eight species of African insect-eating birds that are related to the pipits.......
loon
loon, (order Gaviiformes), any of five species of diving birds constituting the genus Gavia, family Gaviidae. Loons......
loon, common
common loon, (Gavia immer), the most abundant loon species (order Gaviiformes) in North America. It is distinguished......
lorikeet
lorikeet, (subfamily Loriinae), any of 53 species of medium-sized vocal and exceptionally colourful parrots of......
lory
lory, any of numerous parrots of the subfamily Loriinae. See...
lovebird
lovebird, any of nine species of small parrots, genus Agapornis (subfamily Psittacinae), of Africa and Madagascar.......
lyrebird
lyrebird, (genus Menura), either of two species of Australian birds (family Menuridae, order Passeriformes) named......
macaroni penguin
macaroni penguin, (Eudyptes chrysolophus), species of crested penguin (genus Eudyptes, order Sphenisciformes) characterized......
macaw
macaw, common name of about 18 species of large colourful parrots native to tropical North and South America. These......
Magellanic penguin
Magellanic penguin, (Spheniscus magellanicus), species of penguin (order Sphenisciformes) characterized by the......
magpie
magpie, any of several long-tailed birds belonging to the family Corvidae (order Passeriformes). The best-known......
magpie goose
magpie goose, (Anseranas semipalmata), large unusual waterfowl of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Although classified......
magpie-robin
magpie-robin, any of eight species of chat-thrushes found in southern Asia, belonging to the family Muscicapidae......
malcoha
malcoha, any of several species of cuckoos of southern Asia, especially members of the genus Rhopodytes (often......
mallard
mallard, (Anas platyrhynchos), abundant “wild duck” of the Northern Hemisphere that is the ancestor of most domestic......
mamo
mamo, (species Drepanis pacifica), Hawaiian songbird of the family Drepanididae (order Passeriformes), which became......
manakin
manakin, (subfamily Piprinae), common name given to about 60 species of small, stubby, generally short-tailed birds......
mannikin
mannikin, any of numerous birds of the tribe Amadini of the songbird family Estrildidae. This name is given particularly......
manucode
manucode, any of certain Australian bird-of-paradise species. See...
marabou
marabou, (Leptoptilos crumeniferus), large African bird of the stork family, Ciconiidae (order Ciconiiformes).......
martial eagle
martial eagle, (Polemaetus bellicosus), large, long-winged eagle inhabiting dry grassland, scrubland, and scattered......
martin
martin, any of several swallows belonging to the family Hirundinidae (order Passeriformes). In America the name......
meadowlark
meadowlark, any member of the genus Sturnella, belonging to the family Icteridae (order Passeriformes). Meadowlarks......
megapode
megapode, (family Megapodiidae), any of 12 species of Australasian chickenlike birds (order Galliformes) that bury......
merganser
merganser, any of several species of Mergus, long-bodied, more or less crested diving ducks; though essentially......
merlin
merlin, (Falco columbarius), small falcon found at high latitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Adult males......
mesia
mesia, (species Leiothrix argentauris), songbird of the babbler family Timaliidae (order Passeriformes). It is......
mesite
mesite, any of several species of small, brownish ground-dwelling birds constituting the family Mesitornithidae......
Mimidae
Mimidae, family of Western Hemisphere songbirds, order Passeriformes, known as the mimic thrushes, or mimids. They......
minivet
minivet, any of the 10 bird species of the Asian genus Pericrocotus, belonging to the family Campephagidae (q.v.).......
moa
moa, (order Dinornithiformes), any of several extinct ostrichlike flightless birds native to New Zealand and constituting......
mockingbird
mockingbird, any of several versatile songbirds of the New World family Mimidae (order Passeriformes). The common,......
monal
monal, any of several Asian pheasant species. See...
monarch
monarch, any of nearly 100 bird species constituting the family Monarchidae. The term monarch is usually reserved......
moorhen
moorhen, bird species also called common gallinule. See...
moth owl
moth owl, Australian bird, a species of owlet frogmouth...
motmot
motmot, any of about 10 species of long-tailed forest birds of the family Momotidae (order Coraciiformes) of Central......
mourning dove
mourning dove, (Zenaida macroura), a member of the pigeon order Columbiformes, the common wild pigeon of North......
mud hen
mud hen, North American species of coot...
mudlark
mudlark, bird of the family Grallinidae...
munia
munia, any of several small finchlike Asian birds of the mannikin and waxbill groups (family Estrildidae, order......
murre
murre, any of certain black and white seabirds comprising the genus Uria of the auk family, Alcidae. In British......
murrelet
murrelet, any of six species of small diving birds belonging to the auk family, Alcidae (order Charadriiformes).......
Muscicapidae
Muscicapidae, family of songbirds in the order Passeriformes. Considered in the narrow sense, the family is thought......
muttonbird
muttonbird, any of several shearwaters (oceanic bird species), whose chicks are harvested commercially for meat......
mynah
mynah, any of a number of Asian birds of the family Sturnidae (order Passeriformes) of somewhat crowlike appearance.......
Nectariniidae
Nectariniidae, songbird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of the sunbirds and spider hunters, approximately......
nene
nene, (Branta sandvicensis), endangered species of goose of the family Anatidae (order Anseriformes) and the official......
nighthawk
nighthawk, any of several species of birds comprising the subfamily Chordeilinae of the family Caprimulgidae (see......
nightingale
nightingale, any of several small Old World thrushes, belonging to the family Turdidae (order Passeriformes), renowned......
nightingale thrush
nightingale thrush, any of 11 species of thrushes of the New World genus Catharus (family Turdidae). They are of......
nightjar
nightjar, any of about 60 to 70 species of birds that make up the subfamily Caprimulginae of the family Caprimulgidae......
northern cardinal
northern cardinal, (Cardinalis cardinalis), common North American songbird species best known for its bright-red......
northern harrier
northern harrier, (Circus cyaneus), common name for the best-known harrier...
nunbird
nunbird, any of certain puffbird species. See...
nunlet
nunlet, any of certain puffbird species. See...
nutcracker
nutcracker, (genus Nucifraga), either of two sharp-billed, short-tailed birds belonging to the family Corvidae......
nuthatch
nuthatch, any of about 25 species of short-tailed, long-billed birds in the family Sittidae (order Passeriformes),......
oilbird
oilbird, (Steatornis caripensis), nocturnal bird of South America that lives in caves and feeds on fruit, mainly......
oriole
oriole, any of about 30 species of birds of the Old World genus Oriolus, family Oriolidae, or, in the New World,......

Birds Encyclopedia Articles By Title