There are thousands of species of birds throughout the world, but have you ever picked a letter of the alphabet and tried to find birds to match? Below you will find a list of birds that start with b found in the Americas, selected with variety in mind.
BIRDS THAT START WITH B
There are so many birds that start with B, and this is only a tiny cross-section of the birds out there. Below is a list of 28 beautiful and beguiling bird species whose name starts with B.
Let’s dive in!
Birds that start with the letter B show species
1. BALD EAGLE
Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalusLives in: Mexico border area, United States of America, and Canada.
The majestic Bald Eagle is easily recognizable by its plumage. With a black-brown body, a white head and tail, and a sharp yellow beak and talons, this predator of the skies is found throughout North America. Their preferred habitat is areas with large lakes or reservoirs. They build huge, heavy nests that are 5-6 feet wide and 2-4 feet tall mainly made of sticks, grass and moss. These nests can take three months to build, but will be re-used for many years.
Fun fact: The Bald Eagle has held the title of the United State’s national bird since 1782.
2. BALTIMORE ORIOLE
Scientific name: Icterus galbulaLives in: Eastern United States as far as Montana. They are found in Southeastern America and South America in late summer.
The Baltimore Oriole is instantly recognizable by its bright orange plumage on the breast, shoulders, and undersides with a black head and beak rounded out with black wings and a white bar stripe. At the same time, females and juveniles have drabber, more yellow coloring. These migratory birds eat insects and ripe fruit, and they prefer woodland areas and parks to forests.
Fun fact: The Baltimore Oriole prefers certain colored fruit (orange or darker) and will ignore green or yellow fruits even if they are ripe. Attract them to your yard with oranges.
3. BLUE JAY
Scientific name: Cyanocitta cristataLives in: United States (mainly eastern), parts of Canada
The Blue Jay is a mimic with complex social bonds. One of their cries is similar to that of the Red-shouldered Hawk, which they may use to scare away other birds from a food source. The Blue Jay has distinctive blue, white and black plumage topped off with a crest. This bird is very fond of acorns, and you can attract them to your backyard by putting out flat trays of food like sunflower seeds and peanuts. Blue Jays like forest habitats.
Fun fact: This bird is often furtive, but they are not afraid to squawk loudly when their nests are attacked.
4. BARN OWL
Scientific name: Tyto albaLives in: Found worldwide, but the largest of this species is found in North America.
The Barn Owl is a nocturnal bird that consumes its dinner whole. It has a ghostly white appearance at night and an eerie and raspy call, unlike other owls. During the day, the Barn Owl is a combination of dark eyes, white plumage, and buff-colored wings. The Barn Owl population is declining in parts of the world due to habitat loss. Their preferred habitat is grassland areas, allowing them to easily hunt small mammals and roost in barns and abandoned buildings.
Fun fact: They cough up pellets twice a day with food they don’t digest, usually animal bones and fur. These pellets are helpful for researchers to figure out their diet.
5. BAND-TAILED PIGEON
Scientific name: Patagioenas fasciataLives in: Forests of the Western United States and Canada, down into Western South America.
The Band-tailed Pigeon is larger than most pigeons and can be identified by its blue-gray and gray-purple plumage with a white crescent-shaped band across the back of the neck and a black-tipped yellow beak. The female is drabber in appearance with the same coloring. This pigeon is sometimes confused with the more common Rock Pigeon. They live in forested areas and have a plant-based diet dependent on the season.
Fun fact: This bird is social, and they migrate and forage in flocks, traveling up to three miles to find food.
6. BERYLLINE HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Saucerottia beryllinaLives in: Mexico and parts of southeastern Arizona.
The Berylline Hummingbird was first identified in the United States in 1964. A population of them travels from Mexico into southeastern Arizona during the summer. This hummingbird is identifiable by its iridescent green body and rust-colored wings and tail. When it comes to the breeding habits of this beautiful bird, not much is known except that the female builds its nest using a variety of materials.
Fun fact: Because they are only found in a small part of one American state, it is considered a vagrant bird and highly sought after by U.S. birders.
7. BLACK VULTURE
Scientific name: Coragyps atratusLives in: South and Central America as well as the Southeastern United States
The Black Vulture is large with a compact body and is identifiable by its dusky black feathers, bare charcoal head, and white stars on the underside of the wingtips. These birds are carrion eaters and prefer open country habitats with quiet woods to roost in. They lack their brethren’s strong sense of smell and make up for this by following the turkey vulture to the kill site. They have a limited vocal range, relying on grunts and raspy hisses to communicate.
Fun fact: The Black Vulture will share food with relatives and young, even after they have fledged.
8. BRONZED COWBIRD
Scientific name: Molothrus aeneusLives in: southern United States, Mexico and Central America
The Bronzed Cowbird male is black with a bronze sheen, while females and juveniles vary from black to gray-brown depending on whether they are found in the west or east of their range. Their most distinctive characteristic is their red eyes. This songbird’s habitat is towns and pastures.
Fun fact: The Bronzed Cowbird is a brood parasite, meaning they leave their eggs in other birds’ nests, leaving them to be raised by the hosts.
9. BROWN BOOBY
Scientific name: Sula leucogasterLives in: The Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and off the California and Florida coast.
The Brown Booby is a water bird rarely seen in the United States. Named for its chocolate brown body, it has a white underside and a pale beak but bright yellow webbed feet. Like most seabirds, they have a preen claw to spread the waterproofing oil secreted by a gland in the tail. They forage for fish by flying over the water and diving to catch their prey.
Fun fact: These birds perform highly stylized courtship dances around the nest.
10. BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE
Scientific name: Quiscalus majorLives in: Gulf coast of the U.S.
This omnivorous bird is a ground forager with two distinctive looks between the sexes. The male is a striking blue-black color with a long, showy tail. By contrast, the female is half a male’s size and is a buff and brown color. A Boat-tailed Grackle is found in marshy areas, and in urban areas, they like to scavenge near fast-food restaurants.
Fun fact: If a fledgling falls into the water, it can swim for a short distance using its wings.
