Despite their elegant looks, they are fierce parents

Rugged enough to survive Arctic blizzards and mid-ocean gales that would ground much larger birds

Often called the “shorebird that forgot the shore”

Famous for nesting in the most inconvenient places possible

Possesses a unique physical defense mechanism: the “laterally compressed” body

Doesn’t perch across a branch like most birds; it perches lengthwise along the limb

Notoriously high-strung and are often the first ducks to take flight at the slightest hint of danger

One of the most dedicated vegetarians in the waterfowl world

A tiny traveler with a powerful voice and one of nature’s most impressive journeys

The very tip of the bill has special “pits” that can detect the vibrations of a moving fish in murky water

Once believed that their frequent calling was a sure sign that a thunderstorm was on its way

Its sound is one of the most iconic sounds of the American summer

One of the most numerous seabirds in the North Atlantic, with huge colonies in the High Arctic

Can be black, can be grey but it’s the same bird

Preferred deep, cold lakes on the high Arctic tundra, far away from people and noise

Once a sky-filling spectacle—today, most of what we have are museum skins and stories

These birds perform a massive, circular migration that covers nearly 32,000 km (20,000 miles) annually

Tough enough to navigate wild coastal winds and freezing temperatures

One of the deepest-diving ducks

Before their 3,000-mile flight, they become “hyperphagic,” eating until fat makes up nearly half of their body weight

Has the longest bill of any wading bird

Because no one saw them nest locally, they assumed they grew like shellfish!

A bird that scoffs at fresh water and grassy parks

Honestly looks like a character from an animated movie!

Often follow predators around, swooping in to feed on leftovers from seal and whale kills—plus seal placentas and even poop

Crisp-feathered, fast-flying, and fearless in icy waters

Superb gliders and can travel hundreds of kilometers in a day, riding winds with barely a wingbeat

Among the most athletic dolphins, known for their spectacular leaps and spins that can reach several meters high

One of the most admired warblers across the continent

Its flight is nearly soundless, thanks to specially fringed wing feathers that disrupt air turbulence

Defies the usual “creature of the night” stereotype by thriving in open landscapes and often hunting boldly in daylight

Have curved digging claws on their front feet that actually grow longer in winter

Spend most of the year out on the open ocean, far from land, only returning to cliffs to breed

Observed using sticks as tools to extract insects from crevices—something once thought to be exclusive to primates

Known for their intelligence—can use tools, solve problems, and even recognize human faces

In winter, they’re plain grey and white, but in the Arctic summer, they turn into a glowing rusty red

Looks ordinary—but transforms into one of the most extravagant birds during breeding season

Despite the name, it’s a beaked whale—not the famous bottlenose dolphin

Each whisker is packed with nerves, so they can “feel” food hidden in mud without seeing it

Travels with nature’s GPS: a magnetic compass and a nose that never forgets home

Researchers once mistook their eerie underwater noises for a submarine!

No other seal builds snow lairs as consistently as them

There is more to this species than its majestic coat of thick white feathers and piercing yellow eyes

Has the body of a duck, neck of a goose, and voice of a goose having a bad day

They flip the script — literally!

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

Their shape and style are closer to forest thrushes—just way more comfortable around people

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

Often described as the “compact” version of the plover family

Despite often being called an Artic Rabbit, it is a species of hare, not a rabbit

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

Its long, serrated beak, often called a “sawbill,” is perfectly adapted for catching slippery prey like fish

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 withstand harsh winter conditions, often remaining at sea even when the water is frozen

A big, furry animal that looks like a mix of a cow and a sheep, living in one of the coldest places on Earth

A bird that can change its color to match its surroundings!

Has evolved a forehead with uniquely stiff, hair-like feathers

Sometimes mistaken for the North American ring-necked duck — but the tuft gives them away immediately

Only males possess a unique, inflatable, balloon-like nose that they can inflate into a large red shape

Most common and widely distributed swallow globally

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

Often seen sleeping on frozen lakes with their heads tucked under their wings

Very loyal partners! Once they find a mate, they usually stay together for life

Known for their elaborate courtship dances, which involve leaping, bowing and trumpeting

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

Holds cultural symbolism in some societies, representing good luck

Adaptable raptor known for its hovering hunting technique and striking appearance

Facing the consequences of global warming, they quickly lose their habitat and are pushed northward with the receding cold

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

Living life on top of the world, but his kingdom is ever-narrowing

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

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

Impressive flights but clumsy walking on the ground are observed in these birds due to awkward legs

This bird is unmistakable for its namesake, spoon-shaped bill

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

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

One of the earliest waterbirds to begin nesting in the Arctic spring, sometimes before ice fully melts

Largest of falcons: can grow up to 60cm (2 ft) in height

The pocket-sized falcon with an eagle’s attitude

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

Jack Sparrow of the bird kingdom

This bird is incredibly light, weighing only about as much as a cup of yogurt

These birds come in two distinct looks—a “light morph” and a “dark morph”

In the winter, they lose those iconic “spoon” tail feathers, making them much harder to identify

The penguins that can fly

Last of these beautifully glossy, black and white birds were hunted in 1844 off the coast of Iceland

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

The most elegant of all godwit species

Famous for chasing other seabirds until they drop or cough up their food