Favorite Birds

Wood Thrush, American Goldfinch and Wood Duck
Photos from Thayer's Birds of North America CD

Everyone has a favorite bird. What is yours?

Your favorite birds might be the colorful Cardinals or Goldfinches at your feeder. Perhaps the antics of the Chickadee or Titmouse earn your vote. Maybe your particular favorites don't even come to your yard! A lot of folks like Penguins.

Birders appreciate birds with beautiful, musical voices. The Wood Thrush is a favorite of many. The other members of the Thrush family are very good singers as well.

Some folks love seabirds. Many of the pelagic (ocean-going) birds cannot be seen from shore. You need to take an all-day trip out into the ocean to see them.

The Wood Warblers of North America are small, colorful birds. The Blackburnian Warbler is one of my favorite birds. One perched 15 feet in front of me in the bright sunlight on my first birding trip. That's when I became hooked on birds!

After a trip to Central or South America, it is very likely that the Tanagers might become your favorite birds. The colorful Scarlet Tanager we see in North America pales in comparison with a Paradise Tanager!

The most spectacular birds in the world are probably the Birds-of-Paradise found just north of Australia in Papua New Guinea and surrounding areas.

The most popular birds seem to be Hummingbirds, Bluebirds, Purple Martins and the Raptors: Hawks, Eagles & Owls. Cardinals are also quite popular.

Tell us which bird is your favorite. Email Pete Thayer with your vote. We may post some of the more interesting responses here for others to read!

Here are photos, songs and information about some of our favorite birds:

Bald Eagle
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Bluebird
Purple Martin
American Goldfinch
Wood Thrush  (pretty song)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Mockingbird (Sings all night)
Black-capped Chickadee
Dark-eyed Junco
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Green Heron
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Owl
Scarlet Tanager
Wood Duck
Osprey
Roseate Spoonbill
American Kestrel
Acorn Woodpecker
Evening Grosbeak
Florida Scrub-Jay
Magnolia Warbler
Atlantic Puffin
Common Redpoll
Wild Turkey
Kirtland's Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Green Parakeet