Over the skies of America, we see lively, beautiful, and colorful creatures flying freely and singing happily. Some more than others fly in our yard, at the park, and in our neighborhood at large.
We have carefully considered the thousands of bird species in the world, which one are the most common in America, what time of the year are they seen, and in what frequency. We will discuss these fascinating species of birds, with some special features that set them apart.
Below is a list of the most common birds found in America;
Peruvian Sierra Finch
Peruvian Sierra Finch belongs to the group Tharaupidae. This bird has a bluish-grey head and tail with a chunky fink-like tanager. Peruvian Sierra-finch is similar to the Black-hooded Sierra-Finch and difficult to distinguish for common people.
Peruvian Sierra-finch is found in dry, open woodlands and tropical shrublands. According to the name, it is commonly seen in Peru and Bolivia, with more than seven thousand observations, and ranked in the least concern according to the birdlife international list.
Lettered Aracari (Pteroglossus inscriptus)
This species of bird is commonly found in America, it weighs approximately 130 g (4.6 oz) and has a length of 29.2 cm (11.5 inches). Although the rest of the body is mostly black this bird is notable for its completely yellow underparts, black markings on the bill, and the dark blue skin above its eyes. Its subspecies are mainly black, green, and yellow in color.
Lettered Aracari travel in pairs and make nests on fruit trees. It belongs to the group, Toucan, and like others which are referred to as birds found in rainforests, it has a very large beak and a mixed diet consisting of both fruits and other smaller birds. It has a lifespan of 14-18 years.
They are not in danger of extinction and are listed with little concern on the birdlife international list. They are commonly sighted in South America, with more than eight thousand observations.
Horned Sungem (Heliactin bilophus)
This bird can easily rank as one of the most colorful birds out there with the male more colorful than the female. Horned Sungem weigh1.8–2.8 g and is 10-12.7cm long. Bills are short and straight and are part of the hummingbird group.
The males have blue, red, and gold Tufts while the women don’t. They feed largely on insects and nectar from fruits. Natural habitat is in open, humid areas of South America, and observational sightings of more than a thousand.
Red Throated Caracara Bird (Ibycter americanus)
Commonly found in Central and South America, with more than eleven thousand observations. It is a large bird of Prey that differs from other scavengers. The Red Throated Caracara Bird is similar to the black Caracara bird, the red neck and its large size being a major difference.
Its major diet is larvae of bees and wasps and less on fruits and insects. They travel in groups, make loud calls, and weigh 22.1In (56 cm) and 20.1 in (51cm) in females and males respectively.
Coccyzus Minor
Also known as the Mangrove Cuckoo, is a quiet bird that is slender, long-tailed with a ring around its eyes which is either yellow or gray. The head and upper part are brown, with its bill black on top and yellow below. It is found in the mangrove.
Even though it is called minor, it is not as small as the name implies. Coccyzus minor weighs 64–102 g (2.3–3.6 oz) and has a length of 34 cm (11–13 In). This bird is very difficult to spot, it is a shy little creature. It is commonly known for its low-croaking noises which become amplified into a louder pitch.
Though reported to be decreasing in numbers, it is still not vulnerable to extinction with a population size of over 200 thousand and more than 20 thousand observations.
Pauraque Bird (Nyctidromus albicollis)
A Pauraque is a nocturnal bird commonly found in woodlands of central and south America. Pauraque birds have a uniquely long tail that makes it easy to differentiate them from other night birds.
This species of bird is 8.7–11 In (22–28 cm) in length and its colors allow it to easily blend in unnoticed with its surroundings like dried leaves. Spotting colors like grey, brown, and gold. The male sound differs from that of the females with whistles to grunts like that of a frog. They are present all year round, sleeping during the day and hunting for insects at night.
Belding’s Yellowthroat (Geothlypis beldingi)
Naturally, the Belding Yellowthroat has its habitat in fresh and brackish water marshes of the Baja, California Peninsula. It is 14cm long, with a large bright yellow throat.
It belongs to the family Parulidae. Although recently, the Belding yellow throat has been classified as an endangered species due to loss of habitat, there are still more than a thousand observations of the Belding’s yellowthroat bird.
Dull Firetip (Apyrrothrix Araxes)
The Dull Firetip is a butterfly that has its upper side dark brown, a forewing with large white patches, and a hindwing with a scalloped outer margin. The underside of the hindwing is mostly orange with a dark border and blurry dark markings.
Dull Firetip are fond of flowers and usually perch with their wings partly or fully open. They are strong fliers, these butterflies are found in open oak lands of Southern Arizona, west Texas, and Mexico.
Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco deiroleucus)
A bird of Prey found in Central America. It has an unusually large beak and the largest feet of all other falcons and a large head. It has thin, tapered wings that allow it to fly high and with an increased speed.
Falcon with orange breast is similar to the Bat Falcons. It has a length of 13-16 Inches (33-40 cm) and has an approximate weight of 1-1/2 pounds (0.6 kg).
This species is classified as a near-threatened bird and has more than 3 thousand observations. Falcon With Orange Breast travels singly or in pairs and can be easily mistaken for the Bat Falcon.
Other common species of birds are;
-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
-
Northern Cardinal and Baltimore Oriole found in North America
-
Black-bellied and White-faced Whistling Duck in South America
-
Crested Guan of Central America.