Comfortable hunting in almost complete darkness, relying heavily on their incredible hearing rather than vision alone

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

Has one of the longest nonstop flights ever recorded for any bird

One of the deepest-diving ducks

Scan the sea on a cold day, and that “black smudge” past the breakers might be a raft of scoters

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

Under certain angles, the feathers can look almost black

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

A heavyweight champ — elegant, yes, but you don’t want to mess with that beak

Its eyes make up nearly half the size of its skull, giving it excellent night vision but little room for movement

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

Sometimes called the “scars in the water” thanks to their many white markings

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

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

A bird that carries the rhythms of the seasons on its wings

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

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

Often called the “tiger of the sky” because of its fierce hunting skills and bold personality

They flip the script — literally!

One of the most widespread and adaptable herons in the world

Crabs make up over 90% of their diet

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

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

The smallest of falcons in the entirety of America, but you would be mistaken to take this bird lightly

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

One of the most dazzling waterbirds of the Americas, often described as a “swamp jewel”

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

The magnificent national bird of the United States, distinguished by a snowy white head, neck, and tail

Despite their size, they are surprisingly buoyant and can sit high on the water like boats

Unlike other woodpeckers, this bird loves to catch bugs in the air, not just from trees

Most common and widely distributed swallow globally

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

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

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

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

Holds cultural symbolism in some societies, representing good luck

In the late 1800s, a single ounce of its feathers could be worth more than gold

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

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

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

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

The most widely dispersed wild bird

Most common of the Galliformes in the wild habituating subarctic Tundra can tolerate brutally cold winters

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

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

This incredible bird can feel the vibrations made by a worm to find it and consume it

The most elegant of all godwit species

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

Looks a lot like a Mallard but turned way darker

These enthusiastic travelers can be seen almost worldwide in different seasons

The red-eyed hipsters of the duck world

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

Have been recorded at altitudes over 16,000 feet during migration—almost as high as small airplanes!

This majestic brown raptor is most widely distributed eagle species

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

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

Their thin legs are one of the easiest ways to tell them apart from similar hawks