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King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest penguin in the world, exceeded in size solely by its closest relative, the…
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African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
The African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is famous for its intelligence and ability to mimic human speech, making it one of the most…
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Kakapo (Strigops habroptila)
The kakapo (Strigops habroptila) is a Critically Endangered, giant, nocturnal parrot. It is a classic example of evolution on an isolated…
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Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus)
The Andean flamingo possesses the typical elegant flamingo body shape, with long legs and a long, curved neck. The body is pale pink, with…
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Japanese crane (Grus japonensis)
The Japanese crane (Grus japonensis), also known as the red-crowned crane, is sacred and seen as a symbol of fidelity, good luck, love and…
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Long-eared owl (Asio otus)
A common and widespread species, the long-eared owl can be recognised by its orange eyes, prominent ear tufts, and rounded, buff or rufous…
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Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
The largest and heaviest of all living birds, the ostrich is instantly recognisable, with its long, bare neck, large body and long, sturdy…
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Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
The puffin (Fratercula arctica) is one of the UK's most well-loved and easily recognised birds. It has a comical appearance…
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Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)
Cassowaries are large, flightless birds that are related to emus and found only in Australia and New Guinea. The southern cassowary (…
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Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Instantly recognisable as the national emblem of the United States, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has long been a key symbol in…
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Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
The beautiful iridescent plumage of the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) makes it one of our most colourful and instantly recognisable birds;…
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Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Standing over a metre in height and weighing up to 40 kilograms, the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the undisputed…
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Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
A large and distinctive bird of prey, the secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is said to take its unusual name from the strange and…
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Wilson’s bird-of-paradise (Cicinnurus respublica)
The birds-of-paradise have long been recognised as beautiful and spectacular species, thanks to the diversity in ornamental plumage…
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California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)
The Critically Endangered California condor is a member of the New World vulture family (Cathartidae), and has an impressive wingspan of…
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Blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus)
The blue-cheeked bee-eater is named for the blue stripes above and below the eyes, which sometimes, when the plumage is worn, can appear…
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Imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Adult imperial eagles (Aquila heliaca) are stocky in shape with black-brown feathers and a pale golden crown and nape. The shoulders…
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Albert's lyrebird (Menura alberti)
Lyrebirds are well known for the male’s impressive courtship display, in which he shows off his magnificent tail. Albert’s lyrebirds have…
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Great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii)
The national symbol of New Zealand and its people, the kiwi is both a cultural icon and a biological oddity. The five kiwi species are…
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Green peafowl (Pavo muticus)
The green peafowl (Pavo muticus) is famous for the glorious train carried by the male, the green peafowl lifts these metre-long…
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Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is the world's largest eagle, and one of the most threatened raptors. The male and female…
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Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
The familiar mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the most numerous duck in Britain, and is the ancestor of the domestic duck. Both male and…
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Hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)
Hyacinth macaws are the largest parrots in the world, reaching a massive 100 cm in length. They have striking cobalt blue feathers…
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Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)
The Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the most northerly of all penguins, occurring on the Galapagos Islands, on the equator. It…
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Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)
The burrowing owl is a small-bodied species, with a round head lacking ear tufts, striking lemon yellow eyes and unusually long legs. The…
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Bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)
The diminutive bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) has the incredible accolade of being the smallest living bird in the world. The male bee…
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Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
The goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a strikingly beautiful bird, with a bright red face, black and white head and a deep golden…
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Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Named after the wife, Adéle, of the French Antarctic explorer, Dumont d'Urville, the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) is a distinctive…
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Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Occurring on every continent except Antarctica, the osprey is the one of the most widespread birds of prey. The plumage of the osprey is…
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Blue bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea rudolphi)
Birds-of-paradise are one of the most spectacular and colourful groups of birds in the world, and the blue bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea…
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Lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)
The largest vulture in Africa, the lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotus) dominates other vultures when feeding and is even powerful…
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American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Not only is the American kestrel (Falco sparverius) one of the most abundant raptors in the Americas, but this diminutive bird of prey is…
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Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
The robin (Erithacus rubecula) is undoubtedly one of Britain's most dearly loved birds. It is instantly recognisable due to the rusty-red…
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Snowy owl (Bubo scandiaca)
Perhaps one of the most instantly recognisable of all owls, the snowy owl is characterised by its distinctive white plumage, which gives it…
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Fire-maned bowerbird (Sericulus bakeri)
The eye-catching fire-maned bowerbird belongs to a family of birds known for the elaborate bowers, or thatched structures, built by the…
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Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Adult male blackbirds (Turdus merula) are, as the name suggests, totally black; they have a bright golden-yellow bill and a neat yellow…
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Greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga)
A medium-sized eagle, the greater spotted eagle only has white spots as a juvenile, when they extend in bands across the upperwing. By…
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Large ground-finch (Geospiza magnirostris)
As icons of evolution, no other plant or animal group rivals the fourteen closely related birds known collectively as Darwin’s finches. With…
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Macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
The macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) is a large, crested penguin, similar in appearance to other members of the genus Eudyptes, but…
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Red kite (Milvus milvus)
The red kite has been described as 'the most beautiful bird of prey in Britain'. The plumage is a wonderful mixture of black, chestnut, grey…
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Royal penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)
Royal penguins differ from the other crested penguins by having white or pale grey faces and chins. They have black crowns, backs and…
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Barn owl (Tyto alba)
Ethereal and ghost-like, the barn owl (Tyto alba) has golden-grey coloured upperparts, and pure white underparts. The…
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Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
A well-known harbinger of spring, the arrival of the cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) in Britain is eagerly awaited each April. Adult males…
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Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
One of Australia’s most famous animals, the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a large flightless bird, second only to the ostrich in height…
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Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
One of the fastest species in the world, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) may reach speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour (155…
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Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)
Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is one of the world’s rarest birds, believed to have become extinct in the wild as of 2000. This elegant…
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Three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus)
A highly unusual and distinctive bird, the male three-wattled bellbird is capable of producing the loudest bird call on earth, a thunderous…
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Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Although the majestic golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is not Britain’s largest raptor (the white-tailed eagle exceeds it in size) nor…
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Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo)
The Eurasian hobby is a small, slender falcon with a relatively long, square tail, and long, scythe-like wings, giving it the appearance of…
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Henderson petrel (Pterodroma atrata)
Named after the only island on which it is known to breed, the Henderson petrel is a medium-sized, slightly built gadfly petrel (Pterodroma…