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Feathered animals

Feathers are characteristic of birds. They can help with flight, insulation, camouflage or attracting a mate. Flightless birds also depend on feathers.

Which animals have feathers?

Examples include vultures, hawks, owls, storks, swans, parrots, penguins, chickens, ducks, geese, ostriches, flamingos and many other birds.

A

African grey parrot with a black bill, pale face and grey feathers perched on a branch

African grey parrotPsittacus erithacus

albatross

AlbatrossDiomedeidae

Male Andean condor with a bare head, fleshy comb, white feather ruff and black plumage

Andean condorVultur gryphus

Blue-and-yellow macaw in flight with spread wings and a black bill

B

Adult bald eagle with a white head, hooked yellow bill and dark brown plumage

Bald eagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus

Black stork with dark glossy plumage, a white belly and a red bill

Black storkCiconia nigra

blackbird

BlackbirdTurdus merula

A green budgerigar with a yellow head, blue cere and black throat spots

BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatus

C

A yellow domestic canary with folded wings and a narrow tail perched on a branch

CanarySerinus canaria

Cassowary with black plumage, a blue neck, red wattles and a horny casque

CassowaryCasuarius

chicken

ChickenGallus gallus domesticus

Grey cockatiel with an orange cheek patch and raised crest feeding on a branch

CockatielNymphicus hollandicus

White sulphur-crested cockatoo with a yellow crest and dark bill perched on a sloping branch

CockatooCacatuidae

Common chaffinch male with a blue-grey crown, pink-brown breast and white wing markings

Common chaffinchFringilla coelebs

Female kestrel with barred and spotted rufous-brown plumage standing on a rock

Common kestrelFalco tinnunculus

Common kingfisher in flight with blue wings spread and a long pointed bill

Common kingfisherAlcedo atthis

Common moorhen with a red forehead, yellow-tipped bill and long green toes

Common moorhenGallinula chloropus

Common starling perched on a mossy branch, showing a pointed yellow bill, pink feet and green-violet iridescent feathers

Common starlingSturnus vulgaris

Common swift in flight with long sickle-shaped wings and a dark body

Common swiftApus apus

cormorant

CormorantPhalacrocoracidae

crane

crow

cuckoo

CuckooCuculus canorus

D

Model of a dodo with a round grey-brown body, large hooked bill and yellow legs

DodoRaphus cucullatus

duck

DuckAnatidae (ducks in several genera)

E

A brown eagle with golden nape feathers perched on a rock

EaglesSeveral genera in Accipitridae

emu

EmuDromaius novaehollandiae

Male bullfinch with a rosy-red breast, black cap and grey back on a branch

Eurasian bullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula

Eurasian collared dove with pale grey-beige plumage and a black half-collar

Eurasian collared doveStreptopelia decaocto

Dark grey Eurasian coot with a red eye and white forehead standing on a bank

Eurasian cootFulica atra

Golden-yellow male oriole with black wings among fig leaves

Eurasian golden orioleOriolus oriolus

Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) with pinkish-brown plumage and barred blue wing feathers

Eurasian jayGarrulus glandarius

Eurasian magpie, Pica pica, perched on a branch with white shoulder and belly patches and a long iridescent tail

Eurasian magpiePica pica

Male siskin with yellow-green plumage, a black cap and black wing bars on a branch

Eurasian siskinSpinus spinus

White Eurasian spoonbill with a long spoon-shaped bill feeding in shallow water

Eurasian spoonbillPlatalea leucorodia

European bee-eater flying with a yellow throat, blue underparts and spread wings

European bee-eaterMerops apiaster

European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) perched on a wooden post

European goldfinchCarduelis carduelis

European robin (Erithacus rubecula) perched on a branch

European robinErithacus rubecula

Blue European roller with a reddish-brown back perched on a dry branch

European rollerCoracias garrulus

European turtle dove with chestnut-and-black patterned wings and striped neck patches

European turtle doveStreptopelia turtur

F

Unverified RO bird image; identity review pending

FalconFalco spp.

flamingo

FlamingoPhoenicopteridae

G

goose

GooseAnser and Branta (geese)

Great tit on a mossy branch showing white cheeks and the black stripe down its yellow breast

Great titParus major

Grey partridge with an orange face, grey breast and chestnut bars along its sides

Grey partridgePerdix perdix

guineafowl

GuineafowlNumida meleagris

gull

GullLaridae (gulls in several genera)

H

Hawfinch with a massive bill, orange-brown head and black throat patch

HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes

hawk

HawkAccipitridae; includes Accipiter and Astur

hoopoe

HoopoeUpupa epops

House martin with a glossy blue-black back and white underparts beside a mud nest

House martinDelichon urbicum

hummingbird

HummingbirdTrochilidae

K

kiwi

KiwiApteryx spp.

L

lark

LarkAlauda arvensis

White little egret with a black bill and yellow toes perched on a trunk

Little egretEgretta garzetta

Small brown little owl with white spots and yellow eyes perched on a rock

Little owlAthene noctua

Long-eared owl with orange eyes and streaked plumage among branches and leaves

Long-eared owlAsio otus

Rosy-faced lovebird with green plumage and a pale bill perched on a branch

LovebirdAgapornis

N

nightingale

NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos

Northern lapwing with a long crest, white belly and green-purple wing reflections

Northern lapwingVanellus vanellus

O

ostrich

OstrichStruthio camelus (common ostrich); Struthio molybdophanes is the Somali ostrich

owl

OwlStrigiformes

P

parrot

ParrotPsittaciformes

peacock

PeacockPavo spp.; Afropavo congensis is the Congo peafowl

pelican

PelicanPelecanus spp.

pheasant

PheasantPhasianus colchicus

pigeon

PigeonColumba livia (domestic and feral forms)

Q

quail

QuailCoturnix coturnix (common quail); quail also includes other species

quetzal

QuetzalPharomachrus spp.; Pharomachrus mocinno is the resplendent quetzal

R

raven

RavenCorvus corax

rooster

RoosterGallus gallus domesticus

S

White snowy owl with black flecks and yellow eyes perched on a branch

Snowy owlBubo scandiacus

sparrow

SparrowPasser domesticus (house sparrow); other sparrow species are also discussed

swallow

SwallowHirundinidae; Hirundo rustica is the barn swallow

swan

SwanCygnus spp.

T

Tawny owl with streaked grey-brown plumage, a round head and dark eyes

Tawny owlStrix aluco

AI illustration of a toco toucan with an orange bill and white throat

ToucanRamphastidae

turkey

TurkeyMeleagris

V

A pale-necked brown vulture perched on a rock

VulturesSeveral species: Accipitridae and Cathartidae

W

Black male capercaillie with a fanned tail and red eyebrow during display

Western capercaillieTetrao urogallus

white stork

White storkCiconia ciconia

White wagtail with a white face, black bib and grey back perched on a branch

White wagtailMotacilla alba

woodpecker

WoodpeckerPicidae