A single flock can clear out thousands of mosquitoes and agricultural pests in a single afternoon

Known to “ride out” massive tropical storms by flying into the calm eye of the hurricane

Remains as one of the most resilient residents of the tropics

If you look closely at their dark hood, you’ll see two broken white crescents around the eye

During the winter, they are one of the few gull species that becomes truly pelagic

Often called the “tern in a gull’s body”

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

Despite traveling across entire hemispheres, they often return to the exact same marsh or mudflat

Often called the “shorebird that forgot the shore”

Famous for nesting in the most inconvenient places possible

Thriving in the alkaline lakes, salt ponds, and marshes of the American West and beyond

A bird that looks like a cross between a sleek chicken and a neon-painted waterfowl

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

When a covey takes flight, the sound is so loud and sudden that it’s often compared to a small firework going off

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

Do “whistles” over the “quacks”

Famous (and sometimes infamous) for their love of rice.

That thick bill isn’t just for show; it helps it handle large insects (and sometimes more)

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

One of the few shorebirds that can handle small fish and even lizards

Have specialized glands that help them manage the high-salinity environment of the coast

Isn’t closely related to quail—it simply acts a bit like one, staying low and running through cover

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

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

Its speed and size make it harder for predators (and hunters) to track

One of the smallest stiff-tailed ducks in the Americas

Have a specialized reflective layer behind the retina to help them see in near-total darkness.

Weighs about as much as a couple of slices of bread and is barely bigger than a sparrow

The “cheetahs” of the deep ocean

Symbols of open summer fields and joyful wild song

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

Black feathers, white cap, sleek shape — it’s the tuxedo of the bird world

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

One of the most admired warblers across the continent

Their “lemon” color actually changes slightly depending on light and habitat

Though they possess venomous spines near the base of their tail, they rarely use them except in self-defense

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

Often mistaken for an earthworm

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

The “giant of the swamp”

A bird that quietly keeps the environment clean

They flip the script — literally!

Crabs make up over 90% of their diet

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

It’s the classic white-headed, grey-backed “seagull” of postcards and cartoons

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

These birds ride ocean breezes for miles without flapping much at all

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

Even though it’s an ocean bird, it raises its chick in hidden burrows high on Hispaniola

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

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!

While they are famous for stealing fries, they have a very ancient, natural hunting technique called “foot-paddling”

Often seen sunning themselves on fences, walls, and tree trunks

Can walk across soft, sinking mud and floating mats of vegetation without sinking

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

The smallest of the eight pelican species

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”

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

Popular food fish, prized for its mild flavor and firm texture

A champion swimmer and a social butterfly of the warm seas

They bob their heads up and down as they fly, which is actually how they earned the nickname “Noddy”

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

Famous for its habit of standing on one leg

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

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

Opportunistic predators of the open ocean, their aggressive and persistent feeding behaviour strikes fear into the hearts of their prey

Fearless and formidable, these aggressive predators command respect in the waters they roam

Gentle giants of the sea, with mouths wide open to filter the ocean’s bounty

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

One of the largest and strongest sea turtles in the world

Their neck vertebrae have a hinge mechanism that allows it to dart its long neck and pierce its prey quickly

An impressively acrobatic bird that can catch flying fish mid-jump

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

Cannot land on water because their feathers are not waterproof

Goofy-looking yet evolutionarily refined for life above the waves

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

Professional marine forecasters to optimize breeding success and prey availability

These ocean wanderers can be spotted from a distance showing awe-inspiring aerial tricks

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

Very good at detecting storms, often the last to leave and first to arrive before and after a hurricane

The most widely dispersed wild bird

An easily recognizable bird due to its pink body and spatulate bill

They don’t need salt, bamboo sticks, or forks to deshell a snail – they have a well-adapted bill to do the job

The pocket-sized falcon with an eagle’s attitude