Animal Group

Bird Facts For Kids

Birds are warm-blooded animals with feathers, beaks, and wings. Most can fly, but a few like penguins swim instead! Birds live everywhere from the freezing Antarctic to hot tropical jungles.

Quick Bird Facts

How many kinds?: About 10,000 known species of birds
Body covering: Feathers (the only animals with feathers!)
Body temperature: Warm-blooded, like mammals
Babies: Hatch from hard-shelled eggs
Breathing: Lungs, with special air sacs for flying
Smallest: Bee hummingbird, about the size of a thumb
Largest: Ostrich, can be 9 feet tall

Explore Bird Groups

Tap a group to discover the different kinds of birds!

🦅 Birds of Prey

Sharp-eyed hunters with hooked beaks and powerful talons, like eagles, hawks, and owls.

See Birds of Prey

🦆 Waterfowl

Swimming birds with webbed feet and waterproof feathers, like ducks, geese, and swans.

See Waterfowl

🐦 Perching Birds

Songbirds with feet built to grip branches, like robins, sparrows, and finches.

See Perching Birds

🐓 Game Birds

Ground-loving birds that scratch for food, like chickens, turkeys, and quail.

See Game Birds

Popular Birds to Explore

Tap a bird to learn fun, true facts about it!

🦉 Owls

Night hunters that can turn their heads almost all the way around.

See Owls

🦜 Parrots

Colorful, clever birds that can copy human speech.

See Parrots

🐧 Penguins

Birds that cannot fly but are amazing swimmers.

See Penguins

🦩 Flamingos

Pink wading birds that often stand on just one leg.

See Flamingos

Hummingbirds

Tiny birds that can hover in the air and even fly backwards.

See Hummingbirds

Ostriches

The biggest birds in the world, and super-fast runners.

See Ostriches

Emus

Tall, flightless birds from Australia with long, strong legs.

See Emus

Pelicans

Big water birds that scoop up fish in a stretchy throat pouch.

See Pelicans

Cranes

Tall, graceful birds known for their dancing displays.

See Cranes

Herons

Long-legged birds that wade in shallow water to catch fish.

See Herons

Woodpeckers

Birds that drum on tree trunks to find tasty insects.

See Woodpeckers

Kiwis

Small, fuzzy, flightless birds that dig for worms with a long beak.

See Kiwis

Birds of Prey: The Hunters

Birds of prey have sharp eyes, hooked beaks, and powerful claws called talons. They hunt other animals for food. Eagles can spot a rabbit from a mile away! Owls hunt at night using super-sharp hearing.

Featured animals: Eagles, Owls, Hawks, Falcons, Vultures

Waterfowl: The Swimmers

Waterfowl have webbed feet and waterproof feathers, so they can swim and dive without getting cold. Ducks and geese are waterfowl. They live near ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Featured animals: Ducks, Geese, Swans

Flightless Birds: The Runners and Swimmers

Some birds cannot fly, but they are great at other things! Ostriches are super-fast runners. Penguins are amazing swimmers. Kiwis dig for worms with their long beaks.

Featured animals: Ostriches, Penguins, Emus, Kiwis, Cassowaries

Perching Birds: The Singers

Perching birds have feet built for gripping branches, even when they sleep. Most songbirds are perching birds. They sing the most beautiful melodies in the bird world.

Featured animals: Robins, Sparrows, Finches, Crows

Parrots and Tropical Birds

Parrots have colorful feathers, curved beaks, and can copy human speech! They live in warm tropical forests around the world. Many parrots live more than 50 years.

Featured animals: Parrots, Cockatoos, Macaws, Toucans

Other Amazing Birds

From tiny hummingbirds that hover like helicopters to flamingos that stand on one leg, birds come in incredible shapes and colors.

Featured animals: Hummingbirds, Flamingos, Pelicans, Cranes, Herons

Cool Facts About Birds!

Hummingbirds fly backwards! They are the only birds that can fly backwards. Their wings beat up to 80 times per second!
Owls turn their heads almost all the way around! Owls can turn their heads 270 degrees, three-quarters of a full circle.
Penguins propose with pebbles! Male Gentoo penguins find the perfect pebble and give it to a female. If she likes it, they become a couple.
Parrots solve puzzles! African Grey parrots are as smart as a 5-year-old child at solving simple problems and learning words.
Some birds migrate thousands of miles! The Arctic Tern flies from the Arctic to Antarctica every year. That is the longest trip any animal makes!

Bird Questions Kids Ask

Why can birds fly?

Birds have lightweight bones full of air pockets, strong chest muscles, and feathers shaped for lift. Their wings push air down so they push themselves up. Pretty amazing!

Do birds have teeth?

No! Birds do not have teeth. They swallow food whole or break it apart with their beaks. A special stomach part called a gizzard grinds up the food using tiny rocks the bird swallows.

How do birds sleep without falling off branches?

When a perching bird squats down, special tendons in its legs lock its toes around the branch automatically. The bird can sleep without falling, even in strong winds!

What do baby birds eat?

Most baby birds eat what their parents bring them. Some parents drop worms or insects into the babies' wide-open mouths. Some birds, like pigeons, make a special milk-like food in their throat.

Why do birds sing?

Male birds sing to claim their territory and to attract mates. Each kind of bird has its own special song. Some birds learn songs from their parents; others know their song from birth!