Birds, MOC-PTE
Hummingbirds, chickens, flamingos, pheasants: birds may come in all different shapes and sizes, but they all possess feathers, which is the easiest way to distinguish them from all other animals. Although not all species of bird can fly (sorry about that, ostriches), many birds do enjoy the power of flight, and this has permitted an almost unlimited diversification of birds, so that birds are now found virtually everywhere on Earth.
Birds Encyclopedia Articles By Title
mockingbird, any of several versatile songbirds of the New World family Mimidae (order Passeriformes). The common,......
monal, any of several Asian pheasant species. See...
monarch, any of nearly 100 bird species constituting the family Monarchidae. The term monarch is usually reserved......
moorhen, bird species also called common gallinule. See...
moth owl, Australian bird, a species of owlet frogmouth...
motmot, any of about 10 species of long-tailed forest birds of the family Momotidae (order Coraciiformes) of Central......
mourning dove, (Zenaida macroura), a member of the pigeon order Columbiformes, the common wild pigeon of North......
mud hen, North American species of coot...
mudlark, bird of the family Grallinidae...
munia, any of several small finchlike Asian birds of the mannikin and waxbill groups (family Estrildidae, order......
murre, any of certain black and white seabirds comprising the genus Uria of the auk family, Alcidae. In British......
murrelet, any of six species of small diving birds belonging to the auk family, Alcidae (order Charadriiformes).......
Muscicapidae, family of songbirds in the order Passeriformes. Considered in the narrow sense, the family is thought......
Muscovy duck, (Cairina moschata), species of large perching duck belonging to the family Anatidae of the order......
muttonbird, any of several shearwaters (oceanic bird species), whose chicks are harvested commercially for meat......
mynah, any of a number of Asian birds of the family Sturnidae (order Passeriformes) of somewhat crowlike appearance.......
Nectariniidae, songbird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of the sunbirds and spider hunters, approximately......
nene, (Branta sandvicensis), endangered species of goose of the family Anatidae (order Anseriformes) and the official......
nighthawk, any of several species of birds comprising the subfamily Chordeilinae of the family Caprimulgidae (see......
nightingale, any of several small Old World thrushes, belonging to the family Turdidae (order Passeriformes), renowned......
nightingale thrush, any of 11 species of thrushes of the New World genus Catharus (family Turdidae). They are of......
nightjar, any of about 60 to 70 species of birds that make up the subfamily Caprimulginae of the family Caprimulgidae......
northern cardinal, (Cardinalis cardinalis), common North American songbird species best known for its bright-red......
northern harrier, (Circus cyaneus), common name for the best-known harrier...
nunbird, any of certain puffbird species. See...
nunlet, any of certain puffbird species. See...
nutcracker, (genus Nucifraga), either of two sharp-billed, short-tailed birds belonging to the family Corvidae......
nuthatch, any of about 25 species of short-tailed, long-billed birds in the family Sittidae (order Passeriformes),......
oilbird, (Steatornis caripensis), nocturnal bird of South America that lives in caves and feeds on fruit, mainly......
According to nearly all ornithologists, birds are not only the descendants of ancient dinosaurs, they are, in fact,......
oriole, any of about 30 species of birds of the Old World genus Oriolus, family Oriolidae, or, in the New World,......
ornithology, a branch of zoology dealing with the study of birds. Most of the early writings on birds are more......
oropendola, (genus Psarocolius), any of several bird species of the blackbird family (Icteridae) that are common......
ortolan, (Emberiza hortulana), Eurasian garden and field bird of the family Emberizidae. It grows fat in autumn,......
osprey, (Pandion haliaetus), large, long-winged hawk, about 65 cm (26 inches) long, that lives along seacoasts......
ostrich, (Struthio camelus), large flightless bird found only in open country in Africa. The largest living bird,......
ouzel, (species Turdus torquatus), a thrush of the family Turdidae (order Passeriformes), characterized by a white......
ovenbird, any of over 200 species of small birds, named for building a domed nest with a side entrance, especially......
owl, (order Strigiformes), any member of a homogeneous order of primarily nocturnal raptors found nearly worldwide.......
owlet, commonly, any young owl; the term is also used as the general name for several diminutive African and Southeast......
owlet frogmouth, any of seven or eight species of shy and solitary night birds belonging to the genus Aegotheles......
oxbird, any of certain small sandpipers, especially the dunlin (q.v.). In Africa the buffalo weaver (q.v.) and......
oxeye, in Britain, any of certain small sandpipers (especially the dunlin; q.v.) and the great tit (titmouse).......
oxpecker, (genus Buphagus), either of the two bird species of the African genus Buphagus, of the family Buphagidae,......
oystercatcher, any of several shorebirds, notable for their long, flattened, orange-red bills, constituting the......
painted redstart, (Myioborus pictus), red-bellied New World warbler with black and white wings inhabiting high-elevation......
painted snipe, either of two species of marsh birds comprising the family Rostratulidae (order Charadriiformes).......
palm-chat, (species Dulus dominicus), songbird of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and nearby Gonâve......
Panuridae, family of songbirds, order Passeriformes, consisting of the parrotbills (see photograph) and bearded......
parakeet, any of numerous seed-eating parrots of small size, slender build, and long, tapering tail. In this sense......
pardalote, (genus Pardalotus), any of four species of Australian songbirds of the family Pardalotidae (order Passeriformes),......
Paridae, songbird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of the titmice and chickadees, about 55 species of small,......
parrot, term applied to a large group of gaudy, raucous birds of the family Psittacidae. Parrot also is used in......
parrotbill, (family Paradoxornithidae), any of several species of small to medium titmouselike birds, mostly brown......
partridge, any of many small game birds native to the Old World and belonging to the family Phasianidae (order......
passenger pigeon, (Ectopistes migratorius), migratory bird hunted to extinction by humans. Billions of these birds......
Passeridae, sparrow weaver family of small gregarious birds, based on the genus Passer, the well-known sparrows.......
passeriform, (order Passeriformes), any member of the largest order of birds and the dominant avian group on Earth......
pauraque, (Nyctidromus albicollis), nocturnal bird of brushlands from southern Texas to northern Argentina. It......
peacock, any of three species of resplendent birds of the pheasant family, Phasianidae (order Galliformes). Strictly,......
peep, any of about a dozen species of small sandpipers. Some are also called oxbirds or oxeyes. See...
pelecaniform, (order Pelecaniformes), any of the relatively large and diverse group of aquatic birds that share......
pelican, any of seven or eight species of water birds in the genus Pelecanus constituting the family Pelecanidae......
penguin, (order Sphenisciformes), any of 18–21 species of flightless marine birds that live only in the Southern......
peppershrike, (family Cyclarhidae), either of two species of stout-billed tropical American songbirds (order Passeriformes).......
perching duck, any of the species of the tribe Cairinini, family Anatidae (order Anseriformes), waterfowl that......
peregrine falcon, (Falco peregrinus), the most widely distributed species of bird of prey, with breeding populations......
petrel, any of a number of seabirds of the order Procellariiformes, particularly certain members of the family......
pewee, any of eight species of birds of the genus Contopus (family Tyrannidae); it is named for its call, which......
phalarope, (Greek: “coot-foot”), any of three species of shorebirds that are part of the family Scolopacidae (order......
Phasianidae, the pheasant family, a bird family (order Galliformes) that includes among its members the jungle......
pheasant, any bird of the family Phasianidae (order Galliformes) that is larger than a quail or partridge. Most......
Philepittidae, bird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of the asities and false sunbirds, four species of......
Philippine eagle, (Pithecophaga jefferyi), large bird of prey inhabiting mountainous rainforests on the Philippine......
phoebe, (genus Sayornis), any of three species of New World birds in the genus Sayornis of the family Tyrannidae......
Picidae, bird family of the order Piciformes that includes woodpeckers, piculets, and wrynecks. The 210 species......
piciform, (order Piciformes), any member of the group of birds that includes the familiar woodpeckers and their......
piculet, any of about 29 species of small, stub-tailed birds related to the woodpeckers and constituting the subfamily......
pigeon, any of several hundred species of birds constituting the family Columbidae (order Columbiformes). Smaller......
pileated woodpecker, (Dryocopus pileatus), species of large nonmigratory woodpecker known for its black plumage,......
pintail, any of four species of sleek, long-tailed, long-necked dabbling ducks of the genus Anas (family Anatidae).......
pipit, any of about 50 species of small slender-bodied ground birds in the genera Anthus and Tmetothylacus in the......
pitta, (family Pittidae), any of about 30 species of exceptionally colourful Old World birds making up genus Pitta......
plains wanderer, (species Pedionomus torquatus), Australian bird resembling a tiny quail. It has a mottled reddish......
plantcutter, any of three species of South American birds of the family Phytotomidae (order Passeriformes), with......
Ploceidae, songbird family, order Passeriformes, including the bishops, weavers, and their allies. The approximately......
plover, any of numerous species of plump-breasted birds of the shorebird family Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes).......
plumebird, any of several bird-of-paradise species. See...
pochard, (tribe Aythyini), any of the 14 to 16 species of diving ducks of the tribe Aythyini (family Anatidae,......
Pomatorhinidae, scimitar babbler family of noisy birds, based on the genus Pomatorhinus—in this encyclopaedia classified......
poorwill, (species Phalaenoptilus nuttallii), nocturnal bird of North America belonging to the nightjar family......
potoo, (genus Nyctibius), any of seven species of solitary, nocturnal birds of the American tropics. Its name imitates......
poultry, in animal husbandry, birds raised commercially or domestically for meat, eggs, and feathers. Chickens,......
pratincole, any of six or seven Old World shorebird species constituting the subfamily Glareolinae of the family......
prinia, any bird of the large genus Prinia, belonging to the Old World warbler family, Sylviidae. Prinias are sometimes......
prion, any of several species of small Antarctic seabirds of the genus Pachyptila, in the family Procellariidae......
procellariiform, (order Procellariiformes), any of the group of seabirds that includes the albatrosses (family......
psittaciform, (order Psittaciformes), any member of the group of more than 360 species of generally brightly coloured......
ptarmigan, any of three or four species of partridgelike grouse of cold regions, belonging to the genus Lagopus......
Pteroptochidae, family of Latin American birds, based on the genus Pteroptochas—in this encyclopaedia classified......