Herons are large, striking birds from the Ardeidae family that contains some 64 species. Herons, bitterns and egrets belong to the same family and are all wading birds with long legs, necks and bills.

In 1782, the turkey narrowly missed out on the bald eagle for being named the national bird of the United States. However, as a symbol of family gatherings and gratitude, the appeal of the turkey ...

A group of ravens is called an unkindness — but why? Discover the origins of this and other raven collective nouns, plus the truth about raven behaviour and intelligence. A group of ravens is ...

Ospreys are common resident and migratory birds of prey that can be seen hunting over lakes, rivers, and coastal waterways all over the world. These successful raptors have perfected the art of ...

Those familiar with the fairytale “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen may remember how the ‘ugly duckling’ in the story was actually a baby swan and not a duckling at all! In real life, ...

As a short winter's day ends and the light fades from the sky, a dense, pulsating, and humming mass materializes against the amber, blues, and violets of dusk. A flock of Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), ...

Love them or hate them, Pigeons are among the most abundant and successful bird families on the planet, with about 350 species distributed on six continents. They can be particularly common in urban ...

Swans are the kings and queens of the waterway, and they wear their resplendent white plumage proudly (or black in the case of the Black swan!). There are only six species of swans, but they inhabit ...

Baby peacocks - which are actually called peachicks - are the chicks of any of the three species of peafowl; the Indian peafowl, Congo peafowl and Green peafowl. Peacocks are actually just male ...

Birds of prey, or raptors, are carnivorous birds that hunt and kill prey using a combination of their keen senses, strong talons and sharp, hooked beaks. Ranging from the minuscule falconet to the ...

Discover everything about American Robin nesting habits — from when they lay their iconic blue eggs to how they build their nests, how many broods they raise, and how to attract them to your backyard.

Pheasants are large gamebirds from the family Phasianidae that also contains turkeys, chickens, quails and other landfowl. There are a remarkable 50 or so species of pheasants distributed throughout ...