BATELEUR
The small African eagle performs spectacular movements in the air during courtship (Bateleur means acrobat in French).
PEAFOWL CHICK
When it reaches maturity, the male peafowl chick will have a magnificent and colorful train.
AFRICAN PYGMY GOOSE
This African goose spends most of its life swimming in lagoons and feeding on water lily seeds.
PEREGRINE FALCON
The falcon can dive for prey at speeds of 280 kilometers per hour (175 mph), making it the world's fastest bird.
CALIFORNIAN QUAIL
This North American gamebird prefers to walk or run, rather than fly.
EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER
Large flocks of golden plovers move continually throughout the winter as frosts hinder their search for food.
HOUSE SPARROW
The sparrow, which is commonly found in gardens, thrives on a diet of worms, fruit, and household tidbits.
EURASIAN EAGLE OWL
The largest owl in the world is widely distributed throughout Europe and Asia (this is a gray subspecies).
BLUE-RUMPED PARROT
This gray-headed bird inhabits the forests, woods, and swamps of the Southeast Asian lowlands.
EUROPEAN ROLLER
The male roller shows off his vivid blue wings as he performs steep dives during courtship.
GOLDIE'S LORIKEET
The Goldie's Lorikeet is a fast flyer and inhabits the mountains of New Guinea.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE
Bobwhites are more apparent in the warmer seasons, when flocks of them search on the ground for food.
SPECKLED PIGEON
This African pigeon lives in close proximity to humans, often nesting in buildings.
TOCO TOUCAN
The bill of this tropical bird enables it to reach fruit on the end of flimsy twigs.
BROAD-RINGED WHITE EYE
Named for its white eye ring, this bird lives in large flocks in the East African mountain rainforests.
FIRE-TUFTED BARBET
The barbet sounds like a cicada and lives in the mountain forests of Malaysia and Sumatra.
BEARDED BARBET
Long whiskers fringe the bill of this African barbet, giving it a rather comical appearance.
TAWNY OWL
This nocturnal owl can hunt in total darkness, using its excellent hearing to locate prey.
EMPEROR GOOSE
Although the head of this goose is naturally white, it can become stained orange from the iron salts in its drinking water.
DUYVENBODE'S LORY
This soberly colored parrot feeds on the flowers of northern New Guinea trees.
CHESTNUT WEAVER
This small bird is very sociable, like many other weaver species, and breeds in large colonies.
CHESTNUT-EARED ARACARI
The sociable aracari hunts in groups for insects and small animals in South America.
CAPE PARROT
Although it roosts in flocks, this South African parrot usually feeds in pairs in forests and woodlands.
BUFFY FISH-OWL
With its bare legs and long, curved claws, this owl is well adapted to hunting fish.
BOOBOOK OWL
The distinctive "boobook" hoot gives this small, brown Australian owl its name.
BLACK-WINGED LORY
This gregarious bird lives on island coconut plantations, avoiding the forested interiors of mainland New Guinea.
BAMBOO PARROTFINCH
This tiny parrotfinch, measuring only ten centimeters (4 in) in length, lives in the bamboo forests of Southeast Asia.
GRAY-BREASTED SPIDERHUNTER
The large bill of this sturdy bird is used to hunt spiders or to drink nectar from flowers.
GREEN WOOD HOOPOE
This noisy and sociable African bird has short, sturdy legs for clambering about on tree trunks.
GREEN TWINSPOT
This elusive southern African bird darts for cover if disturbed in bushlands and forest edges.
GREEN BARBET
This sociable barbet loves to forage for figs as well as termites and beetles.
FORK-TAILED WOODNYMPH
This aggressive, solitary hummingbird, with its glistening green breast, lives in South America.
FISCHER'S TURACO
This turaco is found only in the humid forests of East Africa.
PINK-EARED DUCK
The specially adapted bill of this duck is used to filter microscopic animals from water.
RUFUS CROWNED ROLLER
The rufus crowned roller takes prey from the ground in scrub and woodland areas of equatorial Africa.
RED-BILLED HORNBILL
This African bird eats dung beetles and will often follow game animals in its search for them.
GUINEA TURACO
This turaco, with its distinctive, slender crest, is found in East African forests or savannas.
GRAY-HEADED SILVERBILL
This gregarious seed-eating bird lives in small flocks in the thorn savanna of northeast Africa.
RED-WINGED LAUGHING THRUSH
This laughing thrush is indigenous to Southeast Asia and can be found in scrub and grassland habitats.
INDIAN GRAY FRANCOLIN
This partridgelike bird is found in both jungle and cultivated areas on the plains of India and Sri Lanka.
KEA
Although it is a powerful flier, the kea prefers to spend most of its time foraging on the ground.
MANDARIN DUCK
This shy bird originated in east Asia and China and was introduced to southern England, where there are now large numbers.
PIED AVOCET
This shorebird is distinguished by its long, upcurved bill and webbed feet.
HAWK-HEADED PARROT
When excited, this parrot spreads its crest feathers into a broad fan, making it easily recognizable.
PLUM-HEADED PARAKEET
The male of this species makes a colorful display as it darts around Indian treetops showing its distinctive head plumage.
PURPLE GRENADIER
This little bird of the East African scrublands is secretive, despite its gaudy coloring.
RED-FRONTED LORIKEET
This lorikeet forages in small flocks in the forest canopy or the coastal coconut trees of New Guinea.
RED-THROATED PARROT FINCH
The finch, found only in New Caledonia, has a magnificent red and green plumage, similar to a parrot's.
RED-COLLARED WIDOWBIRD
The bright red band around this bird's neck appears only on males during the breeding season.
RACKET-TAILED ROLLER
The common name of this insect-eater, which lives in East Africa, comes from its spade-ended tail feathers.
WHITE-THROATED BEE-EATER
This bee-eater, which is a fast flier, loves to feast on flying termites when they swarm.
SUNBITTERN
This delicate bird hunts for insects and small fish in shady forest streams of South America.
WATTLED JACANA
This bird uses its long toes to walk on floating water plants in the lakes and rivers of South America.
ST. VINCENT PARROT
This rare parrot is found only on the Caribbean island that gives the bird its name.
SPECTACLED OWL
This large owl lives in the forested regions of Central and South America, but it is rarely seen.
SMEW DUCKLING
A sharp hook on the end of its bill will help this duckling become a proficient fisher when it matures.
SATYR TRAGOPAN
Unusually for a pheasant, the satyr tragopan makes its nest in trees - on the forested slopes of the Himalayas.
BLUE-CROWNED PARROTS
These tiny south Asian lovebirds feed on nectar, fruit, and seeds in the open woodland.
WOODPECKER
The woodpecker makes its distinctive tapping noise when hollowing out part of a tree for a nest.
BARN OWL
This owl is easily recognized by the heart-shaped markings on its face.
EURASIAN BULLFINCH
These colorful little birds are a pest to farmers as they like to feast on the buds of orchard trees.
SCARLET-CHESTED SUNBIRD
A resident of sub-Saharan Africa, this bird has a stunning iridescent chest and feeds on insects and nectar.
SUPERB STARLING
Commonly found in the towns and villages of East Africa, this sociable bird often begs for food.
SMEW
This small diving duck breeds in coniferous forests besides lakes and rivers.
HEDGE ACCENTOR
This plain bird, which is often mistaken for a sparrow, lives in thick undergrowth, bushes, and hedgerows.
GREATER FLAMINGO
This bird feeds upside down, filtering food through a sort of comb inside its upturned beak.
RHEA
This large, flightless bird lives on open plains in South America, where the male incubates the eggs of several females.
YOUNG BARN OWL
The adult owl will often raise its young in barns or other buildings.
LORIKEET
Lorikeets can be found in a multitude of colors, but a predominantly red-feathered species, such as this one, is comparatively rare.
CRESTED CARACARA
This falcon, which is found all over the Americas, feeds on carrion as well as live prey.
ZEBRA DOVE
The zebra dove is an inhabitant of the lowlands of Southeast Asia, in particular of the forests, farmlands, and savannas.
GOLD-BILLED GROUND DOVE
This ground dove can be found in the deserts and scrublands of South America.
WHITE-EARED SIBIA
The white-eared sibia lives in the oak forests of Taiwan.
BLACK-HEADED STARLING
This starling feasts on nectar and plays an important role in the pollination of nectar-producing trees in Asia.
ALPINE CHOUGH
This crow performs skillful aerobatics, soaring and gliding on air currents in the mountains.
AZURE-WINGED MAGPIE
This sociable magpie fluffs up its black cap into a crest for display purposes.
SHAFT-TAILED WHYDAH
This bird is a common resident of the thorn savanna in southern Africa (a female is shown here).
This African bird is one of the wild ancestors of the domestic pigeons seen in many towns and cities.
BEARDED REEDLING
Flocks of these tiny birds search through reed beds for insects.
RED-TAILED MINLA
The red tail of this bird is striking when the tail feathers are fanned out during flight.
BLUE WHISTLING THRUSH
This bird has silvery tips to its feathers, which create a sparkling effect during flight.
OWL
The large, forward-pointing eyes of an owl give it binocular vision for hunting at night.
WHITE-THROATED BEE EATER
When this bird catches a poisonous insect it rubs the insect against a tree to clear it of venom.
LADY ROSS'S TURACO
The Lady Ross's turaco is found in the open woodlands and humid forest edges of central Africa.
STRIATED YUHINA
Yuhinas constantly call to each other when feeding in flocks of 20 to 30 birds.
YELLOW-SHOULDERED WIDOW BIRD
This widow bird is an inhabitant of the wet grassland swamps of west and central Africa.
SILVER-EARED MESIA
This bird feeds on insects in the mountain scrub areas of Southeast Asia.
The oversized bill of this bird is used to snatch spiders from their nests.
WHITE-NAPED YUHINA
This plain-colored bird has a particularly distinctive and beautiful song.
LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD
The buzzard is a graceful flyer, gliding on air-currents and flapping its wings only occasionally.
SONGBIRD
These birds are often identified by their song, as well as by their appearance.
HARRIS'S HAWK
Groups of these tropical hawks work together when hunting for rats, snakes, and lizards.
NECKLACED LAUGHING THRUSH
This inquisitive Southeast Asian laughing thrush eats insects, fruits, and seeds from the forest floor.
IMPERIAL EAGLE
During courtship rituals, pairs of these rare eagles often plunge toward the ground with their talons entwined.
CUT-THROAT
Only the male has the red throat patch that gives this African finch its name.
GOLDEN EAGLE
This bird is one of the better-known and most widespread eagles. It is a skilled hunter, preying on small mammals and birds.
EMERALD STARLING
This beautiful starling lives in the west African savanna.
CULVER'S TOUCAN
Toucans inhabit the more open areas of tropical rainforests, nesting in small holes inside trees.
VINOUS-THROATED PARROTBILL
This parrotbill can be found in bamboo groves, scrub, and reed beds, from Manchuria and south through China to Korea and Burma.
EMPEROR PENGUIN
Eggs are incubated by the male Emperor, which will guard them carefully for about two months until they hatch.