Did you know
... that Benjamin Franklin was against the Bald Eagle being chosen as the national bird of the United States of America. He favored the Wild Turkey because it was native to the United States. However, the Bald Eagle was finally chosen to represent the nation as the national bird in 1782. Honored for its beauty, varied colors, and attractive plumage, a national bird of a country has cultural, mythological, and religious sentiments associated with it. The national birds promote a country's rich and varied heritage and may appear on the coat of arms, seal, stamps, or coins of a nation. Strict laws protect these birds and it is illegal to hunt or harm them.
National birds are selected carefully considering their abundance, ubiquity, and uniqueness. They are a symbolic representation of the identity, pride, and integrity of a country. Listed in this Buzzle article are the national birds of various countries of the world.
INDEX
◈ Asia
◈ Europe
◈ Africa
◈ North America
◈ South America
◈ Oceania
Asia
China
Red-crowned Crane
Grus japonensis Bahrain
White-cheeked Bulbul
Pycnonotus leucogenys Bangladesh
Oriental Magpie-Robin (Doel)
Copsychus saularis Cambodia
Giant Ibis
Thaumatibis gigantea Bhutan
Common Raven
Corvus corax India
Peacock
Pavo cristatus Iraq
Chukar Partridge
Alectoris chukar Israel
Hoopoe
Upupa epops Mongolia
Saker Falcon
Falco cherrug Nepal
Himalayan Monal
Lophophorus impejanus Malaysia
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Buceros rhinoceros Palestine
Palestine Sunbird
Cinnyris oseus Pakistan
Chukar Partridge
Alectoris chukar Singapore
Crimson Sunbird
Aethopyga siparaja Thailand
Siamese Fireback Pheasant
Lophura diardi United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
♦
Indonesia:
Javan Hawk-Eagle (
Nisaetus bartelsi)
♦
Japan:
Green Pheasant (
Phasianus versicolor)
♦
Jordan:
Sinai Rosefinch (
Carpodacus synoicus)
♦
Myanmar:
Burmese Peacock/Grey Peacock-Pheasant (
Polyplectron bicalcaratum)
♦
Philippines:
Philippine Eagle (
Pithecophaga jefferyi)
♦
Sri Lanka:
Ceylon Junglefowl (
Gallus lafayetii)
♦
Taiwan:
Taiwan Blue Magpie (
Urocissa caerulea)
Europe
Armenia
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos Austria
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica Belarus
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia Belgium
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus Croatia
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos Denmark
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor Estonia
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica Faroe Islands
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus Finland
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus France
Gallic Rooster
Gallus gallus Germany
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia Gibraltar
Barbary Partridge
Alectoris barbara Greece
Little Owl
Athene noctua Iceland
Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus Ireland
Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus Latvia
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba Lithuania
White Stork
Ciconia ciconia Luxembourg
Goldcrest
Regulus regulus Norway
Dipper
Cinclus cinclus Poland
White-tailed Sea Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla Romania
White Pelican
Pelecanus onocrotalus Scotland
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos Sweden
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula United kingdom
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
♦
Malta:
Blue Rock Thrush (
Monticola solitarius)
Africa
Angola
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus Botswana
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudata Cape Verde
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Egypt
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos Ivory Coast
White-cheeked Turaco
Tauraco leucotis Gambia
Hammer Stork
Scopus umbretta Kenya
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudata Liberia
Garden Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus Namibia
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer Nigeria
Black Crowned Crane
Balearica pavonina South Africa
Blue Crane
Anthropoides paradisea Swaziland
Purple-crested Turaco
Tauraco porphyreolophus South Sudan
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer Uganda
Grey Crowned Crane
Balearica regulorum Zambia
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer Zimbabwe
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
♦
Saint Helena:
Wirebird (
Chardrius sanctae helenae)
North America
Antigua and Barbuda
Magnificent Frigatebird
Fregata magnificens Aruba
Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia Bahamas
Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber Belize
Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus British Virgin Islands
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura Curacao
Orange-breasted Oriole
Icterus pectoralis Anguilla
Zenaida Dove
Zenaida aurita Cuba
Cuban Trogon
Priotelus temnurus Dominican Republic
Palmchat
Dulus dominicus El Salvador
Turquoise browed motmot
Eumomota superciliosa Guatemala
Resplendent Quetzal
Pharomachrus mocinno Honduras
Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao Grenada
Grenada Dove
Leptotila wellsi Haiti
Hispaniolan Trogon
Priotelus roseigaster Jamaica
Doctor Bird
Trochilus polytmus Mexico
Crested Caracara
Caracara plancus Nicaragua
Turquoise-browed Motmot
Eumomota superciliosa Guardabarranco Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
St Vincent Parrot
Amazona guildingii Panama
Harpy Eagle
Harpia harpyja Saint Kitts and Nevis
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis Trinidad and Tobago
Scarlet Ibis
Eudocimus ruber United States of America
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
♦
Cayman Islands:
Grand Cayman Parrot (
Amazona leucocephala caymanensis)
♦
Costa Rica:
Clay-colored Thrush (
Turdus grayi)
♦
Dominica:
Imperial Amazon (
Amazona imperialis)
♦
Guam:
Flightless Guam Rail, Ko'ko' (
Rallus owstoni)
♦
Montserrat:
Montserrat Oriole (
Icterus Oberi)
♦
Puerto Rico:
Puerto Rican Spindalis (
Spindalis portoricensis)
♦
Saint Lucia:
Saint Lucian Parrot (
Amazona versicolor)
♦
Trinidad and Tobago:
Cocrico (
Ortalis ruficauda)
South America
Bolivia
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus Brazil
Rufous-bellied Thrush
Turdus rufiventris Chile
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus Ecuador
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus Guyana
Hoatzin
Opisthocomus hoazin Peru
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Rupicola peruviana Uruguay
Rufous Hornero
Furnarius rufus
♦
Argentina:
Rufous Hornero (
Furnarius rufus)
♦
Colombia:
Andean Condor (
Vultur gryphus)
♦
Paraguay:
Bare-throated Bellbird (
Procnias nudicollis)
♦
Venezuela:
Troupial (
Icterus icterus)
Oceania
Kiribati
Magnificent Frigatebird
Fregata magnificens Papua New Guinea
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Paradisaea raggiana New Caledonia
Kagu
Rhynochetos jubatus New Zealand
Kiwi
Apteryx mantelli Nauru
Great Frigatebird
Fregata minor
♦
Palau:
Palau Fruit-dove (
Ptilinopus pelewensis)
♦
Samoa:
Tooth-billed Pigeon/Manumea (
Didunculus strigirostris)
A national bird is a symbol of a nation's rich biodiversity, culture, and beliefs. It can attain the national symbol status because of the respect, admiration, or value attached. Like all national symbols, national birds also project the image of a country as well as prove to be a source of inspiration.