From Finches to Falcons, this detailed guide reveals everything you need to know about Birds That Start With F!
Whether you’re an ornithologist or a hobbyist birdwatcher, birds have always been a topic of great interest. Within this diversity, there are Birds That Start with the letter F. From flight patterns to nesting habits, this article covers what makes these feathered F-named creatures so captivating.
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Birds That Start with F
1. Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Scientific Name: Dendrocygna bicolor
This waterfowl features a tawny body, dark bill, and legs. Known for its distinctive whistling calls, this social bird often forms large flocks. Thus, a notable mention in the list of birds that start with F.
2. Fulvous-breasted Flatbill
Scientific Name: Rhynchocyclus fulvipectus
Native to the Amazon Basin, this bird features a blend of brown and yellow feathers with a distinctive flattened bill. Specializing in insect-catching, it thrives in lowland tropical forests.
3. Fan-tailed Warbler
Scientific Name: Euthlypis lachrymosa
Characterized by its conspicuous fan-shaped tail, this bird has an olive-green upper body and yellowish underparts. This species often frequents dense shrubs and brushes where it searches for insects.
4. Ferruginous Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo regalis
This large raptor boasts rust-colored plumage, broad wings, and a distinctive gray head. Often seen soaring over open landscapes, it feeds on mammals.
5. Fieldfare
Scientific Name: Turdus pilaris
With its striking mix of brown, gray, and white feathers, this thrush species primarily feeds on insects and fruits. Fieldfare is a social bird, often seen in large flocks during the winter months.
6. Fire-tailed Myzornis
Scientific Name: Myzornis pyrrhoura
Exhibiting vibrant green plumage and an eye-catching fire-red tail, this bird mainly feeds on insects. It’s a spectacular sight in the forest undergrowth of the Eastern Himalayas.
7. Firecrest
Scientific Name: Regulus ignicapilla
Notable for its striking black eye stripe and vivid orange crown, this petite bird primarily consumes insects. Commonly seen in mixed flocks, it’s an agile feeder, picking insects off leaves.
8. Fish Crow
Scientific Name: Corvus ossifragus
This species distinguishes itself with glossy black feathers and a unique caw, different from its crow relatives. Prefers coastal areas and is often seen foraging for food near water bodies.
9. Fisher’s Lovebird
Scientific Name: Agapornis fischeri
Exhibiting a vibrant mix of green, orange, and blue feathers, this bird forms strong pair bonds. Originating from Africa, this bird is popular in aviculture due to its striking appearance.
10. Flame Robin
Scientific Name: Petroica phoenicea
This bird has a dazzling bright red chest contrasted by a darker upper body. It’s a striking presence in Australia’s forests, where it often feeds on ground-dwelling insects.
11. Flamingo
Scientific Name: Phoenicopterus
Renowned for its long, thin legs and bright pink plumage, it feeds on algae and plankton. This social bird is often seen in large colonies near water bodies, wading elegantly.
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12. Fork-tailed Drongo
Scientific Name: Dicrurus adsimilis
These medium-sized birds that start with ‘f’ display black plumage and a sharply forked tail. Known for mimicry skills, it can imitate other bird calls to warn of predators.
13. Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Scientific Name: Tyrannus savana
Recognizable by its distinctive long, forked tail and contrasting black head, this bird specializes in aerial insect catching. It is highly migratory, covering vast distances across the Americas.
14. Fuscous Honeyeater
Scientific Name: Lichenostomus fuscus
Exhibiting modest brown plumage, this bird consumes nectar and insects. It joins mixed-species feeding flocks and shows a preference for eucalyptus forests.
15. Fulmar
Scientific Name: Fulmarus glacialis
Resembling a seagull, this bird sports grayish feathers and nests in cliff colonies overlooking the sea. It’s an exceptional glider, often seen riding wind currents over the ocean.
16. Fairy Tern
Scientific Name: Gygis alba
This small seabird sports an all-white plumage and a striking black eye patch. Its slender bill is well-suited for capturing fish. Fairy tern is often seen around coral islands and lagoons, showcasing remarkable agility in the air.
17. Fairywren
Scientific Name: Malurus
The Malurus genus is recognized for its vibrant, fairywren species. Native to Australia and nearby islands, these birds that start with F are primarily insectivorous. The males of many species are colorful, sporting bright plumage. The females and younger birds have more subdued colors for camouflage.
18. Fairy Flycatcher
Scientific Name: Stenostira scita
The Fairy Flycatcher is a small, insectivorous bird measuring around 10-12 cm in length. It features a distinct white and grey plumage, which makes it easy to identify.
19. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Scientific Name: Glaucidium brasilianum
A small raptor, this owl possesses brownish plumage and distinctive false eye spots on the back of its head. Despite its size, it’s a fierce hunter that preys on small mammals and birds.
20. Fawn-breasted Waxbill
Scientific Name: Estrilda paludicola
Sporting brownish upperparts and a rosy underbelly, this bird primarily consumes seeds. It’s often seen in grasslands, feeding on seeds and small insects.
21. Florida Scrub-Jay
Scientific Name: Aphelocoma coerulescens
This bird is unique to the Florida peninsula, with vibrant blue feathers. Unlike many jays, this species is non-migratory and has a highly cooperative family structure.
22. Forest Owlet
Scientific Name: Heteroglaux blewitti
This scarce species exhibits a compact size, dark brown feathers, and white underparts marked with brown streaks. It’s a critically endangered species in this list of birds that start with F.
23. Flesh-footed Shearwater
Scientific Name: Ardenna carneipes
This seabird has dark black feathers with a lighter-colored belly and pinkish feet, distinguishing it from similar species. Often spotted in the southern hemisphere, it’s skilled in long-distance flights.
24. Falcated Duck
Scientific Name: Mareca falcata
This duck stands out with its iridescent green head and elongated, sickle-shaped feathers. They are common in East Asia, showcasing splendid plumage during mating seasons.
25. Fairy Martin
Scientific Name: Petrochelidon Ariel
Featuring brown upperparts and a whitish belly, this bird specializes in aerial insect catching. Its cup-shaped nests are often seen on cliffs, making it skilled in vertical nest construction.
26. Franklin’s Gull
Scientific Name: Leucophaeus pipixcan
With its dark hood and white underparts, this gull species has a penchant for foraging in freshly plowed fields. It’s highly social and often migrates in large flocks.
27. Florida Sandhill Crane
Scientific Name: Antigone pratensis
Showcasing long legs and a distinctive red crown on its head, Antigone pratensis has a unique trumpeting call. Often seen in pairs, these birds that start with f are a year-round fixture in Florida’s wetlands.
28. Freckled Duck
Scientific Name: Stictonetta naevosa
Exhibiting dark, mottled plumage, this Australian duck is adapted to swamps and marshlands. During mating season, the male develops a distinctive bill knob, setting it apart from others.
29. Forest Falcon
Scientific Name: Micrastur
This raptor showcases a dark plumage and excels in stealthy hunting. Prefers dense forest environments where it can swiftly navigate through the trees in search of prey.
30. Fiery-throated Hummingbird
Scientific Name: Panterpe insignis
Featuring iridescent green plumage and a vividly colored throat, this bird thrives in mountainous areas. Despite its small size, it’s aggressively territorial among the birds that start with F.
31. Frigatebird
Scientific Name: Fregata
Birds in this genus showcase angular wings, a deeply forked tail, and a red gular pouch. They are known for kleptoparasitic behavior and steal food from other birds in flight.
32. Far Eastern Curlew
Scientific Name: Numenius madagascariensis
Recognizable by its long, downward-curved bill, this bird is primarily a mudflat forager. Despite its somewhat clumsy appearance, this avian wonder is an agile flyer in this list of birds that start with F.
33. Fox Sparrow
Scientific Name: Passerella iliaca
This large sparrow displays reddish-brown plumage and dark streaks on its underparts. Adaptable to varying climates, this bird migrates to cooler regions during the summer months.
34. Flame-colored Tanager
Scientific Name: Piranga bidentata
Sporting brilliant orange and red plumage, this bird thrives in subtropical woodlands. Its vibrant coloration is especially eye-catching during flight, capturing the attention of birdwatchers.
35. Fischer’s Turaco
Scientific Name: Tauraco fischeri
This bird boasts multicolored plumage and a striking red beak, making it a visual spectacle. Particularly agile among trees, it moves gracefully, rarely opting for extended flights.
36. Fairy Bluebird
Scientific Name: Irena puella
This stunning bird has bright blue plumage, complemented by darker shades on its wings. Often sighted in the forests of Southeast Asia, this bird has a melodious call in this list of birds that start with F.
37. Freckle-breasted Thornbird
Scientific Name: Phacellodomus striaticollis
Displaying a brownish body speckled with white spots, this bird constructs complex, spiky nests. It’s a skulking bird often sighted in South American thorny shrublands.
38. Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Scientific Name: Thalurania furcata
With iridescent blue-green plumage, this hummingbird stands out in its South American habitats. Its needle-like bill is specialized for feeding on nectar from tubular flowers.
39. Forest Canary
Scientific Name: Crithagra scotops
Boasting a subtle blend of yellow and green feathers, this bird is a seed eater. Habitually seen in South African highlands, it thrives in moist, wooded areas.
40. Flutist Wren
Scientific Name: Microcerculus ustulatus
With a plumage of brown feathers, flutist wrens possess an astonishingly melodious song. These birds frequently visit the South American rainforests among the birds that start with F.
41. Fairy Gerygone
Scientific Name: Gerygone palpebrosa
This bird showcases understated brown plumage and is known for its intricate, hanging nests. It’s a vocal species, often heard before being seen in the woodlands of Australia and New Guinea.
42. Finsch’s Wheatear
Scientific Name: Oenanthe finschii
This bird features a contrast of black and white plumage and has a characteristic tail-wagging behavior. Its preferred habitats include rocky slopes and barren lands in the Eastern Mediterranean.
43. Forbes’s Forest Rail
Scientific Name: Rallina forbesi
With a blend of brown and white feathers, these elusive birds inhabit dense, subtropical forests. These shy species is unique in this list of birds that start with F.
44. Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dendrocopos macei
Dendrocopos macei stands out with its speckled white belly and brown upperparts. It’s common in open woodlands across South Asia, often heard drumming on tree trunks.
45. Flat-billed Vireo
Scientific Name: Vireo nanus
This small bird exhibits a muted blend of olive and yellowish plumage. It primarily resides in thorny forests and is endemic to the dry regions of southwestern Ecuador.
46. Flammulated Owl
Scientific Name: Psiloscops flammeolus
Flammulated owl features greyish-brown feathers and distinctive dark eyes. During the summer, it inhabits the mountainous pine forests of North America.
47. Flores Hawk-Eagle
Scientific Name: Nisaetus Floris
This large raptor features brown plumage with a striking crest and white belly. It’s endemic to Indonesia and primarily dwells in montane forests.
48. Fawn-breasted Bowerbird
Scientific Name: Chlamydera cerviniventris
Exhibiting a soft brown plumage, this bird is renowned for its elaborate courtship displays, which include intricate nests called bowers. Indigenous to Papua New Guinea, it has a liking for fruit.
49. Flame-fronted Barbet
Scientific Name: Megalaima armillaris
This colorful bird features green plumage with hints of blue and a yellow forehead. Native to Java and Bali, it has a strong bill perfectly suited for drilling into trees.
50. Fischer’s Starling
Scientific Name: Lamprotornis fischeri
Boasting ash-grey plumage and a white lower chest, these birds that start with ‘f’ are common in dry open acacia thornbush. It prefers to feed on insects and fruits.
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