Bird Facts

From back yard birding to long distance birding, Americans continue to pass down their interest in wild birds from generation to generation.

Some people may have a limited acquaintance with wild birds, knowing less than a handful of species, or the species that visit their yard. Specialists might be able to identify birds by the thousands of species.

Even if it's only a mascot for a sports team, almost everyone can count at least one bird identification success.

For all wild bird identification enthusiasts, here are some additional bird facts.

• Approximately ten thousand bird species share the world with humans.
• With over three thousand native species, South America is the world's bird capital. The rought world breakdown goes as follows.
• South America: 3,200 bird species
• Asia: 2,900 bird species
• Africa: 2,300 bird species
• North America (including Central America, Mexico, United States, Canada and Caribbean) 2,00 bird species
• United States: 888 bird species
• Australia: 1,700 bird species
• Europe: 1,000 bird species
• Antarctica: 65 bird species
• The arctic tern possibly holds the title as longest migrator, flying (round trip) 18,600 miles between the arctic and Antarctica.
• All birds molt and regrow their feathers.
• Approximately ninety bird species have gone extinct since 1681. The Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet, Labrador Duck and (probably) Ivory Billed-woodpecker are the most well known extinct native species.
• With approximately 425 species divided into approximately 100 genera, the tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae) are the world's largest bird family.
• The Ostrich (Struthio camelus) is the largest living bird.
• The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is the world's smallest bird.
• The Peregrine Falcon gets credit as the world's fastest flying bird.
• While birds are known for their ability to fly, not all birds fly. Penguins, Ostrich, Rhea, Kiwi and a few duck and grebe species are among the world's flightless birds.
• Seven different states, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia, designate the Cardinal as their state bird, making it the most popular state bird.

The links in the box point to articles fill with more bird facts. The Types of Birds link includes pictures and information on more than one hundred and fifty different native bird species.

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