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 bird that can change its color to match its surroundings!

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

Can dive down to the bottom of a lake and rest there, safe from predators!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Known for their graceful movements and the distinctive “S” shape of their neck

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

Often lives close to humans and is sometimes seen as a pest

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

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

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

They eat almost anything that comes their way – you name it, they’ll try to snack on it!

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

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

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

This species is found in all world oceans except the north Pacific Ocean

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

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

The songbird that occasionally eats bats

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

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

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

Loves trees! Only member of its family breeding in Europe

The folktale bird that brings the babies!

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

The masters of catching oysters, clams, and cockles

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

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

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

The red-eyed hipsters of the duck world

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

Extinct and reintroduced – What’s the story behind these so-called ‘flying barn doors’?

The yellow-eyed devil

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

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

Named after the black, curved marking on their backs that resembles a harp!

Slows the heartbeat from 80 bpm to 3-4 bpm before a deep dive; quickly accelerates after surfacing

Tusked marine mammals heralding climate emergency!

Their large ivory tusk which is a protruding canine tooth of the male makes them The ‘unicorns of the sea’

Known as the “canaries of the sea,” due to their wide range of sounds

Once called ‘devil fish’ by whalers due to their fighting behavior when hunted

They hold the title of heaviest animals, weighing about 100,000 kg

Believed to be only seen by scientists for 50 hours in the last 50 years

Males drop their antlers before Christmas, but females keep their antlers until spring