How Many Bird Species Can You Identify?

By: Daniel Yetman
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How Many Bird Species Can You Identify?
Image: Paul Souders / Stone / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Do you know how many types of birds there are? Scientists believe there are more than 10,000 different species. We're not going to quiz you on all of them, but do you think you can at least name the 40 we compiled for this quiz?

There's so much variation between birds, that it's interesting to think they all share a common ancestor. The pigeons you see pecking around at your local park and the ostriches you see running around on television aren't as unlike as you may initially think. They may look drastically different, but they both lay eggs and have wings and have feathers covering their bodies. 

No matter where you go in the world, you'll find birds living there. If you travel to the remote areas of Antarctica, you'll find the emperor penguin. On the remote ocean cliffs in northern Canada, you'll find gannets, terns, and puffins. Even if you washed ashore in Papua New Guinea, you would be met with birds of paradise and cassowary.

We think this quiz is pretty eggs-sighting, so it's time for you to pay the piper and quack the case of the names of these 40 feathered friends. Are you up for it? Good. Then let's get started!

Arctic tern
Daniel A. Leifheit / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these birds has an almost unbelievable migratory route?
Razorbill
Arctic tern
Northern gannet
European storm petrel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The most interesting part about the arctic tern is its migratory route. Every year, they travel over 70,000 kilometers from the northern tips of North America to Antarctica and back again. They have by far the longest migratory pattern of any animal.

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Emperor penguin
Martin Ruegner / Stone / Getty Images
There are few animals in Antarctica, however, one of these species thrives there. Which one is it?
Emperor penguin
Little penguin
Adelie penguin
Gentoo penguin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Few animals in the world live in harsher conditions than the emperor penguin. If you want to learn more about the extreme conditions that they withstand, you can learn about them in the documentary, "March of the Penguins."

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Peregrine falcon
Mike Warburton Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Which of the following birds can fly over 200 mph?
Frigatebird
Peregrine falcon
Golden eagle
Eurasian hobby
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world. It can reach speeds of over 200 mph when it swoops to catch its prey. The fastest speed ever recorded by a peregrine falcon was 242 mph.

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King of Saxony bird-of-paradise
Wiki Commons by markaharper1
Can you name this tropical bird?
Magnificent frigatebird
King of Saxony bird of paradise
Paradisaea
Parotia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The next time you're deep in the forests of New Guinea, keep your eye out for this brightly colored bird. You can easily spot them for their long ornamental head plume that looks fake at first glance.

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Kiwi
Oliver Strewe / The Image Bank / Getty Images
Do you know what to call this flightless bird?
Kakapo
Kiwi
Emu
Cassowary
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The kiwi is the smallest member of the ratites group of birds that contains other flightless birds like emus and cassowaries. The kiwi is nocturnal, so even if you head to New Zealand, you're unlikely to see one in the wild.

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Polish chicken
Marcia Straub / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of this show bird?
Polish chicken
Rhode Island red chicken
Australorp
Brahma chicken
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Polish chicken is often bred for shows and comes in several color variations. They grow up to weigh about 6 pounds, but their exact origin isn't known. Despite their name, it's thought that they may originate from the Netherlands.

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Golden-headed quetzal
Wiki Commons by Lip Kee
This bright-colored creature goes by what name?
Gold-headed quetzal
Cockatoo
Kookaburra
Golden pheasant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can find this large bird from the most southern tip of America into South America. You can easily spot them by their bright red stomach and green wings. They usually grow to at least a foot long and eat mostly fruits and berries.

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Bleeding heart pigeon
Photography by Alexandra Rudge / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of this pigeon that looks like it has a spot of blood on its chest?
Bleeding heart pidgeon
Mourning dove
Rock dove
Nicobar pigeon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Can you guess how the bleeding heart pigeon got its name? You can easily recognize them from all other pigeon species by the bright red spot on their chest. Both the males and females share the same distinct red coloring.

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Green jay
Diana Robinson Photography / Moment Open / Getty Images
Do you recognize this jay?
Green jay
Blue jay
Eurasian jay
Steller jay
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The green jay is endemic from Southern North America to Central America. It is easy to spot by its dull-green body, blue head and long tail. Their diet consists mostly of insects, small vertebrae and seeds.

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Formosan magpie
Frank Chen / Moment Open / Getty Images
Which of these birds might you see in Taiwan?
Common magpie
Formosan magpie
Eurasian magpie
Black-billed magpie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Formosan magpie goes by several other names, such as the Taiwan blue magpie. As its name suggests, it lives on the island of Taiwan where it lives mostly in forests and eats snakes, mice, fruits and seeds.

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Mallard
Alex Hibbert / The Image Bank / Getty Images
Can you tell us the name of this common species of duck?
Mallard
American black duck
Canvasback
Whistling duck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The mallard is one of the most widespread bird species in the world. They often breed with local ducks like the American black duck and produce hybridized offspring. Most domesticated ducks originally came from the mallard.

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European starling
Susan Walker / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these birds was introduced to North America in 1980 and is now one of the most widespread North American birds?
Chipping sparrow
Mallard
American robin
European starling
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The European starling was first released into Central Park at the end of the 19th century. Since then, they have multiplied from a few handfuls of birds to over 50 million. Unfortunately, they have pushed several other species out of their nesting sites.

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Mourning dove
Ed Reschke / Stone / Getty Images
What name does this common dove go by?
Mourning dove
Blue ground dove
Collared dove
Brown cuckoo dove
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The mourning dove is one of the most common birds in North America. You can often hear them singing a "mourning" song early in the day. Some years, up to 70 million mourning doves are shot for game.

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Red-winged blackbird
KenCanning / E+ / Getty Images
You often find which of these birds around swamps and wetlands?
Red-winged blackbird
Dark-eyed junco
American robin
European starling
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can find the red-winged blackbird in swamps across North America. They like to spend their time fluttering between cattails. They're found as far north as Northern Canada and as far south as El Salvador.

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Oilbird
Wiki Commons by Alastair Rae
This nocturnal bird spends most of its life in caves. What's it called?
Oilbird
Hoatzin
Violet-crowned woodnymph
Kookaburra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The oilbird has habits that more closely resemble a bat than a bird. They live in caves and use echolocation to find food. The bird gets its name from feasting on the fruit of the oil palm.

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Kagu
Arne Hodalic / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
What's the name of this bird with special nasal corns?
Kagu
Kookaburra
Cockatiel
Lady Gouldian finch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The hard nasal corns on the Kagu's nose are though to protect their nose from dust particles. Researcher think that mating pairs may continue to mate each year for their entire lives. They're only found on the small island of New Caledonia.

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Turquoise-browed motmot
Karen Brodie / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these birds is the national bird of El Salvador?
Kookaburra
Crimson rosella
Turquoise-browed motmot
Violet-crowned woodnymph
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's hard to miss the bright plumage of this tropical bird when you see it contrasting with the surrounding trees. It's so beautiful and widely recognized in Central America that El Salvador and Nicaragua both named it their national bird.

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Violet-crowned woodnymph
Nature Images by Keith Bowers / Moment / Getty Images
Do you have any idea what to name this cute bird?
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Violet-crowned woodnymph
Bee hummingbird
Anna's hummingbird
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The violet-crowned woodnympth grows to a maximum length of about 4 inches. You can find these hummingbirds throughout Guatemala and Belize. They use their long beaks to pull nectar from different types of flowers.

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Crimson rosella
Byronsdad / E+ / Getty Images
Which of these parrots can you find Down Under?
Lovebird
Crimson rosella
Cockatiel
Scarlet macaw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The crimson rosella is one of the most beautiful species of parrots in the world. They live primary along the eastern coast of Australia as well as New Zealand. You'll rarely see them outside of small pairs, and they often forage on the ground with their mate.

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Red-bearded bee-eater
Whitworth Images / Moment / Getty Images
It's easy to guess what this bird eats by its name, but what is its name?
Red-bearded bee-eater
Little bee-eater
White-throated bee-eater
Swallow-tailed bee-eater
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The red-throated bee-eater gets its name for its red breast. Also, as its name suggests, it eats primarily insects, including bees and hornets. They generally catch their prey by sitting motionless until it comes near them.

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Kookaburra
John Carnemolla / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
What's the name of this famous Australian bird?
Kookaburra
Common kingfisher
Oriental dwarf kingfisher
Forest kingfisher
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The kookaburra is a large bird in the kingfisher family that lives in Australia. Its name is an onomatopoeia for the high-pitched call that it makes. They're one of the only kingfisher species that don't spend their time around water.

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Lady Gouldian finch
Melinda Moore / Moment Open / Getty Images
This small but colorful bird is known as what?
European goldfinch
Lady Gouldian finch
Atlantic canary
American goldfinch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You might see these in your local pet store, but if you want to find them in the wild, you'll have to take a trip to Australia. It's thought that fewer than 2,500 of these birds still exist in the wild, and conservation efforts are being made to bring them back.

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Blue-crowned pigeon
Wiki Commons by Bernard Dupont
What's the name of this unique New Guinea bird?
Blue-crowned pigeon
Mourning dove
Eurasian collared dove
European turtle dove
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The face of the blue-crowned pigeon may look similar to the common pigeon you see around your local parks. However, this bird can grow to be the size of a turkey. You won't see a wild one unless you travel to the island of New Guinea.

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Toucan
©Juan Carlos Vindas / Moment / Getty Images
This long-billed bird goes by what name?
Cockatoo
Macaw
Kakapo
Toucan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's hard to mistake a toucan for any other bird thanks to its distinctive bill. They eat mostly fruit and insects, but they also consume lizards from time to time. There are more than 40 types of toucans that live in the jungles of South America.

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Red-necked tanager
Douglas Baker / Moment Open / Getty Images
This brightly colored bird goes by what name?
North American Cardinal
Red-necked tanager
Baltimore Oriole
Kakapo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you want to see the red-necked tanager, you'll have to travel to the rainforests in eastern South America. There are three different subspecies, which all have slightly different patterns in their throat feathers.

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Shoebill stork
Mark Newman / The Image Bank / Getty Images
Can you name this smiling bird?
Wood stork
Marabou stork
White stork
Shoebill stork
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This bird is one of the funniest looking birds in the stork family. Because of the way their bill curves upward, they have a permanently smiling expression. They use their bill to catch fish and reptiles.

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Ribbon tailed astrapia
Wiki Commons by gailhampshire
What's the name of this bird native to New Guinea?
Ribbon tailed astrapia
Bird of paradise
Kakapo
Eostrix
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The ribbon tailed astrapia grows to lengths of about a foot long. They're most recognizable for their long tail. In fact, they have the largest tail-to-body ratio of any bird species. Can you guess what they use it for? To attract females, of course!

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Burrowing owls
Copyright (C) Arto Hakola. All rights reserverd. / Moment / Getty Images
Which one of these unique birds lives underground?
Eostrix
Barn owl
Burrowing owls
Great-horned owl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When you think of owls, you probably don't think of them living underground. However, burrowing owls live in dens like prairie dogs. They eat mostly prickly ears, mice and insects.

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Scarlet i'iwi
Sami Sarkis / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images
If you're lucky, you might see one of these the next time you're in Hawaii. What's it called?
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Scarlet hummingbird
Scarlet i'iwi
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Even though it may look like a hummingbird, the scarlet i'iwi is actually more related to finches. They are best known for their curved beak that they use to harvest nectar from Hawaiian flowers.

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Tawny frogmouth
Traceydee Photography / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of this bird that looks like the child of a hawk and eagle?
Rufous potoo
Kakapo
Tawny frogmouth
Hoatzin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tawny frogmouth uses its large mouth to eat the local vermin in Australia like rats and lizards. They've been known to use rocks to beat up their prey to make them easier to eat.

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Hoatzin
Richard McManus / Moment / Getty Images
Can you recognize the "skunk bird"?
Hoatzin
Common magpie
Northern Mockingbird
Catbird
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The hoatzin may be pretty to look at, but you might not want to get too close. Because of the way they ferment their food after eating it, they release a skunk-like smell to ward off predators.

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Magnificent frigatebird
Rosemary Calvert / Stone / Getty Images
What bird is best known for its red air sac?
Golden pheasant
Andean cock-of-the-rock
Magnificent frigatebird
Vulturine guineafowl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frigatebirds are in the same family as the blackbird. The magnificent frigatebird uses its red pouch to attract mates. The females lack the red sac of their male counterparts and instead have a white breast and belly.

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Golden pheasant
Piero M. Bianchi / Moment Open / Getty Images
In Chinese culture, seeing this bird is thought to be lucky. What's it called?
Golden pheasant
Jungle fowl
Bar-tailed pheasant
Copper pheasant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The golden pheasant is one of the world's most distinctly colored birds. They rarely weigh more than about 1.2 pounds and spend most of their time foraging on insects, seeds and berries in Central and Southern China.

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Spectacled eider
Patrick J. Endres / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
What do you call this saltwater duck?
Tufted puffin
Spectacled eider
Mandarin duck
Bonaparte's gull
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The spectacled eider gets its name for the distinct marking around its eyes that makes it look like it's wearing glasses. They eat mostly seafood and mollusks, but in the summer, they may forage on grass and berries.

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Vulturine guineafowl
Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these colourful birds is found in Africa?
Cassowary
Ostrich
Vulturine guineafowl
Emu
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The vulturine guineafowl also goes by the name royal guineafowl and is native to Ethiopia and Kenya. Don't worry; it's not as intimidating as it looks. They eat mostly seeds, mice, insects and reptiles.

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Atlantic puffin
Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of this bird found in Eastern Canada?
Atlantic puffin
Great Auk
Common Cormorant
Herring gull
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are three species of puffins in the world. They usually breed on the sides of large oceanside cliffs. The Atlantic puffin is the ocean type of puffin found on the east coast of Canada.

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North American cardinal
KeithSzafranski / E+ / Getty Images
Which of these birds is found on the front of several sports jerseys?
Baltimore oriole
North American cardinal
American robin
Common magpie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The North American cardinal is one of the most distinct birds found in the Western Hemisphere. Only the males have the bright red feathers that make them famous. The females are a dull brown.

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Philippine Eagle
© 2011 Voltaire Malazarte / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of this bird that looks like it has the head of a griffin?
California condor
Philippine Eagle
Bald eagle
Kakapo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This beautiful eagle found in the Philippines can grow up to 3.4 feet tall. There aren't many left in the wild. It's estimated that the number of breeding pairs in down to less than 300.

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Kakapo
Wiki Commons by Department of Conservation
Can you tell us the name of this flightless bird from New Zealand?
Kakapo
Cockatoo
Macaw
New Zealand parrot
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Kakapo is a critically endangered parrot that lives exclusively in New Zealand. They're completely flightless and ground dwelling, which makes them easy prey for introduced predators like dogs and cats.

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California Condor
Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these was once considered extinct in the wild?
American eagle
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
California condor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 1980s, there were only 21 condors left in the world. They were bred and slowly reintroduced into the wild. Nowadays, there are more than 200 of these giant birds with a nearly 10-foot wingspan in the wild.

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You Got:
/40
Paul Souders / Stone / Getty Images