These owls have specialized feathers that make their flight nearly silent

A monkey without a tail that’s why people sometimes mistakenly call it an ape

They flip the script — literally!

The only long-distance migratory dove in Europe

Timid by nature, often flying off at the slightest sign of danger

One of Europe’s oldest surviving deer species

One of the most widespread and adaptable herons in the world

In Iceland, its arrival is eagerly awaited as it signifies the end of the harsh winter

Famous for stealing chips, sandwiches, and even ice cream right out of people’s hands

Once you’ve heard them laugh, it’s hard to forget!

This bird taps its feet to imitate rain to make the prey reach the surface

Their keen vision enables them to scan vast landscapes, identifying small movements or potential prey items even from high altitudes

Their favorite snack? Large insects like locusts and dragonflies

Renowned for their spectacular aerial displays during courtship, including steep dives and intricate flight patterns

Arguably among the most beautiful songbirds in the world — they enjoy singing after a rain shower

The flocks of this social and gregarious bird are fond of migration, flying over the horizon and creating a V-shaped formation

Loves trees! Only member of its family breeding in Europe

The masters of catching oysters, clams, and cockles

Brilliant mimics, they can copy bird calls and even human-made sounds like car alarms and ringing phones!

A common sight in coastal regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere

Can hang upside down while feeding!

They’re kind of like big, furry rats but with a different shape

Amazing flyers — they can even drink water while they’re flying!

They might not look like much, but they have an incredible talent: singing!

Males are particularly eye-catching with their black and white plumage, looking like they’re wearing a little tuxedo

Can be quite friendly and will often come close to humans, especially if they’re offered food

The biggest bat you can find in Europe, with wings that can stretch out as wide as your arm!

Most common and widely distributed swallow globally

Very active and noisy, with a loud, piercing call that sounds like “pee-wit”

Often called the “singer of the night,” it produces a complex and beautiful melody that has captivated people for centuries

Once found flying 11,300 meters (37,100 ft) high, sadly, this was more of an accident than a discovery

The biggest of all the hammerhead sharks, with a massive head that looks like a giant, flat hammer

Known for their acrobatic leaps, twisting and turning gracefully as they jump completely out of the water

Often seen riding the bow waves of boats or performing acrobatic leaps out of the water

One of the rarest and most endangered eagle species in the world

They spread faster than any other colonizing mammal in the world

Often seen as a symbol of strength, freedom, and keen vision in many African communities

A warty amphibian with golden eyes

Covered in small, bumpy warts that can even have sharp points

During breeding, they transform with elegant white plumage, adorned by decorative plumes on the head, neck, and back

The males, in particular, produce a rich and intricate song that contributes to their charm

They consistently display a restless demeanor and exhibit a distinctive, tail-trembling behavior

Holds cultural symbolism in some societies, representing good luck

Adaptable raptor known for its hovering hunting technique and striking appearance

Their migratory behavior is often linked to the availability of insects for food

Speed and power embodied, they rule the seas with their sleek bodies and jaw-dropping leaping prowess

Majestic giants of the sea, they peacefully glide through the ocean with mouths agape, filtering the waters for sustenance

Majestic ocean predators, embodying power, speed, and precision in their pursuit of prey

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the world’s most widely distributed carnivore!

Possessed with special visual adaptations to catch fish

Fiercely territorial, marking their territory with scent to communicate with other otters

Meet the world’s smallest mammal but a fierce predator

Their population distribution is often associated with human settlements as they are comfortable in both agricultural and urban habitats

These elegant acrobats perform a perfectly timed and skilled somersault as they approach their chosen resting site

Their muzzle has wrinkled lips, which makes them look like a dog’s face, and is commonly called a bulldog bat

Due to their adaptability and willingness to migrate to more favorable habitats, great cormorants are found worldwide

The most cosmopolitan of owls with home ranges extending across the globe

Aptly named after the goddesses of wisdom and war, little owls have lived alongside human civilizations since 500 BC

This bird looks like a modern mosaic art-piece

These petrels stylishly ride the ocean waves like they own the winds

This cute and small bird is one of the most elite hunters below the water’s surface

The iconic and elegant bird with a curved pink bill is known for turning heads

These birds seem to have lost their way to the beauty pageant

Exhibit powerful flight, with distinctive slow wing beats and an extended neck, defining features during their aerial movements

Its neck is insanely long and super flexible, giving it a slinky, snake-like appearance when it hunts

The songbird that occasionally eats bats

The master aerial diver and swooper

The most widely dispersed wild bird

Like those bulging red eyes weren’t scary enough, they eat their innocent chicks when hungry

Living around smelly brackish marshes is unthinkable, but these birds love their isolated habitat or don’t have a sense of smell

The most numerous wild bird species in the world

At the speed of over 321 km/h (200 mph), this bird outraces a Formula1 car

The stork with the widest geographic range

The folktale bird that brings the babies!

One of the very few birds with an upturned bill

Elegant long-legged wader, common almost worldwide

One of the bigger waders with a reptilian eye

Jack Sparrow of the bird kingdom

The penguins that can fly

This incredible bird can hold up to 30 fish in its beak at once

This bird can give any cross-country runner a run for their money

This bird holds the record of the longest distance flown by any bird in recorded history

The most elegant of all godwit species

These enthusiastic travelers can be seen almost worldwide in different seasons

Dependable wings and a muscular build. Nope, we aren’t talking about the next Redbull ad campaign

This invasive species is the ancestor to most of the modern ducks

A highly intelligent species that is the world’s only tool-using vulture with a long migratory range

This majestic brown raptor is most widely distributed eagle species

The yellow-eyed devil

Better call the ambulance before the Sparrowhawk comes to devour all those who are injured

They eat just about everything — rabbits, rodents, birds, carrion, earthworms, insects… even beetles get a look-in

A magnificent migratory bird with long, broad wings and a short tail that sings in the form of musical whistles

Largest soaring vulture in the sky with extremely broad wings that assists an important role in nature as “clean-up” team

One of only six land-birds with a cosmopolitan distribution habituating all continents except Antarctica

Most social vultures with 12 distinct types of vocalization

When attacked, the Spanish ribbed newt pushes out its ribs until they pierce through its body!