Birds have fascinating traits that set them apart, and in this blog, we will explore an interesting group—birds whose names start with T.
Did you know the Three-toed Woodpecker has only three toes, unlike most other woodpeckers?
This list covers a diverse range of species, from the large turkey vulture to the brightly colored toco toucan.
You’ll discover their unique features, habitats, and roles in nature, whether the swift-flying Tree Swallow or the wading Tricolored Heron.
As you continue reading, you’ll find common birds and lesser-known species that thrive in different environments worldwide.
Join us as we uncover more about these remarkable birds, starting with T.
20 Most Common Birds Starting with T
1. Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a large bird of prey known for its excellent sense of smell, allowing it to locate carrion for food. These birds are key in cleaning the environment by consuming dead animals.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
- Physical Description: Large bird with dark plumage, a redhead, and broad wings.
- Habitat: Open countryside, forests, deserts, and wetlands.
- Geographical Range: Found across North and South America.
- Interesting Facts: Turkey Vultures have a keen sense of smell, which is rare among birds. This helps them detect carrion from great distances.
2. Tundra Swan
The Tundra Swan is a large, graceful bird known for its long migrations and haunting calls while in flight. It breeds in the Arctic and migrates to warmer regions in winter.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus
- Physical Description: Large white bird with a black beak and long neck.
- Habitat: Lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
- Geographical Range: Breeds in the Arctic migrate to North America.
- Interesting Facts: Tundra Swans are known for their migratory behavior, traveling thousands of miles between breeding and wintering grounds.
3. Tree Swallow
The Tree Swallow is a small, agile bird known for its iridescent blue-green feathers. It is commonly seen darting through the air, catching insects.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
- Physical Description: Small bird with glossy blue-green upperparts and white underparts.
- Habitat: Open fields near water bodies and wetlands.
- Geographical Range: Found across North America.
- Interesting Facts: Tree Swallows are among the first migratory birds to return north in the spring, often before the insects they eat are abundant.
4. Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse is a small, lively bird often seen at bird feeders. Known for its soft gray plumage and distinctive crest, it is a year-round resident of many parts of the United States.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor
- Physical Description: Small, gray bird with a tufted crest and large, black eyes.
- Habitat: Woodlands, parks, and gardens.
- Geographical Range: Common across the eastern United States.
- Interesting Facts: Tufted Titmice often stores food in hidden locations to retrieve it later, a behavior known as caching.
5. Tricolored Heron
The Tricolored Heron is a medium-sized wading bird with striking blue-gray, white, and reddish plumage. It is commonly seen hunting for fish in shallow waters.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tricolored Heron, Egretta tricolor
- Physical Description: Medium-sized heron with blue-gray body, white belly, and reddish neck.
- Habitat: Wetlands, marshes, and coastal areas.
- Geographical Range: Found across the southeastern United States and parts of Central and South America.
- Interesting Facts: Tricolored Herons are active hunters. They often use their wings to create shade over the water, allowing them to spot prey more clearly.
6. Townsend’s Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler is a small, colorful bird known for its bright yellow and black markings. It is commonly seen in coniferous forests, especially during migration.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Townsend’s Warbler, Setophaga townsendi
- Physical Description: Small bird with yellow underparts, black streaks, and olive upperparts.
- Habitat: Coniferous forests.
- Geographical Range: Found across the western United States, it migrates to Central America.
- Interesting Facts: Townsend’s Warblers migrate long distances, often wintering as far south as Central America.
7. Trumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan is one of the largest swan species, known for its impressive wingspan and loud, trumpet-like calls. They are a symbol of successful conservation efforts.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator
- Physical Description: Large, white bird with a long neck and black bill.
- Habitat: Lakes, ponds, and marshes.
- Geographical Range: Found in North America, particularly in Alaska and Canada.
- Interesting Facts: Trumpeter Swans were once nearly extinct but have significantly recovered due to conservation efforts.
8. Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl is a nocturnal bird of prey known for its distinctive “hoot” call. It is commonly found in wooded areas across Europe and Asia.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tawny Owl, Strix aluco
- Physical Description: Medium-sized owl with rounded body and brown, mottled feathers.
- Habitat: Forests, woodlands, and parks.
- Geographical Range: Found across Europe and parts of Asia.
- Interesting Facts: Tawny Owls are known for their territorial nature and characteristic call, often associated with eerie nighttime sounds.
9. Tropical Kingbird
The Tropical Kingbird is a bright yellow bird commonly found in Central and South America. It is known for its aggressive behavior in defending its territory against larger birds.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus
- Physical Description: Medium-sized bird with bright yellow underparts and grayish upperparts.
- Habitat: Open areas, fields, and forest edges.
- Geographical Range: Found throughout Central and South America.
- Interesting Facts: Tropical Kingbirds are aggressive defenders of their nests, often attacking much larger birds that venture too close.
10. Toco Toucan
The Toco Toucan is the largest and most well-known toucan species, famous for its enormous, colorful beak. These birds are often seen in the forests of South America.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Toco Toucan, Ramphastos toco
- Physical Description: Large bird with a strikingly large, colorful bill and black-and-white body.
- Habitat: Tropical forests and savannas.
- Geographical Range: Found in South America, particularly in Brazil.
- Interesting Facts: Although large, the Toco Toucan’s bill is surprisingly light due to its hollow structure.
11. Thick-billed Raven
The Thick-billed Raven is one of the largest raven species. It is known for its powerful bill and its ability to thrive in harsh environments, such as high-altitude regions.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Thick-billed Raven, Corvus crassirostris
- Physical Description: Large bird with a thick, heavy bill and dark plumage.
- Habitat: High-altitude regions and open woodlands.
- Geographical Range: Found in northeastern Africa.
- Interesting Facts: The Thick-billed Raven is known for its intelligence. It uses its strong bill to access a variety of food sources, including carrion and fruit.
12. Tennessee Warbler
The Tennessee Warbler is a small, olive-green songbird known for its rapid, buzzy song. Despite its name, it is only seen in Tennessee during migration.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tennessee Warbler, Leiothlypis peregrina
- Physical Description: Small, olive-green bird with grayish head and white underparts.
- Habitat: Forests and woodland edges.
- Geographical Range: Found across North America, migrating to Central and South America.
- Interesting Facts: Tennessee Warblers are often seen in large numbers during migration, particularly in fall.
13. Torrent Duck
The Torrent Duck is a striking, fast-swimming duck species adapted to live in fast-moving rivers and streams. It is well-known for its agility in the water.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Torrent Duck, Merganetta armata
- Physical Description: Small duck with a black-and-white head pattern and chestnut body.
- Habitat: Fast-moving rivers and streams.
- Geographical Range: Found in the Andes Mountains of South America.
- Interesting Facts: Torrent Ducks are adapted to fast-flowing rivers, using their strong legs and streamlined bodies to navigate rapids.
14. Turquoise Jay
The Turquoise Jay is a strikingly colorful bird found in the Andean forests. Its bright blue feathers make it easy to spot in its natural habitat.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Turquoise Jay, Cyanolyca turcosa
- Physical Description: Medium-sized bird with brilliant blue plumage.
- Habitat: Montane forests and cloud forests.
- Geographical Range: Found in the Andes Mountains, particularly in Ecuador and Colombia.
- Interesting Facts: Turquoise Jays are social birds, often seen foraging in small family groups.
15. Treecreeper
The Treecreeper is a small bird known for spiraling up tree trunks in search of insects. Its brown, camouflaged plumage makes it difficult to spot.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Eurasian Treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
- Physical Description: Small bird with streaked brown plumage and a curved bill.
- Habitat: Woodlands, forests, and parks.
- Geographical Range: Found across Europe and Asia.
- Interesting Facts: Treecreepers use their long, curved bills to probe into tree bark in search of insects and spiders.
16. Tawny Frogmouth
The Tawny Frogmouth is a nocturnal bird resembling an owl but more closely related to nightjars. Its cryptic plumage helps it blend into tree bark during the day.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Tawny Frogmouth, Podargus strigoides
- Physical Description: Medium-sized bird with mottled gray-brown plumage and a wide, frog-like mouth.
- Habitat: Forests, woodlands, and urban areas.
- Geographical Range: Found across Australia.
- Interesting Facts: Tawny Frogmouths are masters of camouflage, often remaining motionless on tree branches to avoid detection.
17. Twite
The Twite is a small finch-like bird known for its brownish plumage and sweet, twittering song. It is often found in upland areas and moorlands.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Twite, Linaria flavirostris
- Physical Description: Small, brownish bird with a yellow bill and striped body.
- Habitat: Moorlands, uplands, and heathlands.
- Geographical Range: Found across Europe and parts of Asia.
- Interesting Facts: Twites feed primarily on seeds, especially from plants like dandelions and thistles.
18. Terek Sandpiper
The Terek Sandpiper is a small wading bird with a distinctive upturned bill. It is often seen foraging along muddy shores for invertebrates.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Terek Sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
- Physical Description: Small wader with a slender, upturned bill and grayish plumage.
- Habitat: Coastal mudflats, riverbanks, and estuaries.
- Geographical Range: Found across Europe and Asia, it migrates to Africa and South Asia.
- Interesting Facts: Terek Sandpipers use their upturned bills to probe mud for small invertebrates.
19. Thick-billed Murre
The Thick-billed Murre is a large auk that nests on steep cliffs in the Arctic. Known for its ability to dive to great depths, it feeds mainly on fish and invertebrates.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomvia
- Physical Description: Medium-sized auk with black upperparts and white underparts, thick bill.
- Habitat: Coastal cliffs and open seas.
- Geographical Range: Found in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.
- Interesting Facts: Thick-billed Murres can dive to depths of over 100 meters to catch fish and other prey.
20. Three-toed Woodpecker
The Three-toed Woodpecker is a small, hardy woodpecker adapted to cold, northern forests. It is named for having only three toes, unlike most woodpeckers with four.
- Common Name and Scientific Name: Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis
- Physical Description: Small woodpecker with black and white plumage and yellow cap on males.
- Habitat: Boreal forests and coniferous woodlands.
- Geographical Range: Found in northern North America and Eurasia.
- Interesting Facts: Three-toed Woodpeckers are adept at peeling bark off dead trees to find hidden insects.
60 Uncommon Birds Starting with T
- Tahiti Petrel
- Temminck’s Tragopan
- Turquoise Tanager
- Tasmanian Nativehen
- Thicket Tinamou
- Tanimbar Corella
- Tooth-billed Bowerbird
- Temminck’s Stint
- Tahiti Kingfisher
- Taita Falcon
- Tawny-crowned Greenlet
- Tawny-collared Nightjar
- Tinkling Cisticola
- Tristram’s Starling
- Tibetan Sandgrouse
- Tui
- Taiwan Partridge
- Tibetan Eared-pheasant
- Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher
- Turquoise-browed Motmot
- Tengmalm’s Owl
- Thick-billed Grasswren
- Tawny-bellied Seedeater
- Tropical Pewee
- Turkestan Shrike
- Timor Blue Flycatcher
- Timor Imperial Pigeon
- Tuamotu Kingfisher
- Thicket Antpitta
- Tawny-throated Dotterel
- Tanimbar Flycatcher
- Thamnornis
- Tawny-capped Euphonia
- Timor Sparrow
- Tepui Swift
- Tachira Antpitta
- Tawny-chested Flycatcher
- Tucuman Mountain-finch
- Togian White-eye
- Tasmanian Thornbill
- Tarim Babbler
- Tataupa Tinamou
- Tawny-headed Swallow
- Tullberg’s Woodpecker
- Turati’s Boubou
- Toco Rollulus
- Tibetan Blackbird
- Tahitian Reed Warbler
- Trilling Shrike-babbler
- Temminck’s Cuckoo-dove
- Tawny-browed Owl
- Thamnophilus Pygmy-owl
- Taiwan Bush-warbler
- Topknot Pigeon
- Tanimbar Megapode
- Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet
- Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill
- Turkestan Tit
- Tschudi’s Woodcreeper
- Timneh Parrot
Summing Up
In this blog, we explored a wide variety of birds whose names begin with “T.” Here’s a quick summary of the range of species covered.
- Predators: Turkey Vulture, Tawny Owl, Thick-billed Raven
- Migratory Birds: Tundra Swan, Tennessee Warbler, Tree Swallow
- Forest Dwellers: Tufted Titmouse, Tropical Kingbird, Townsend’s Warbler
- Waterbirds: Tricolored Heron, Torrent Duck, Thick-billed Murre
- Exotic Species: Toco Toucan, Turquoise Jay, Tawny Frogmouth
- Adapted to Cold Climates: Three-toed Woodpecker, Trumpeter Swan
These birds demonstrate the incredible diversity in the avian world. If you’re eager to learn more about different species and their unique behaviors, continue exploring our site for more insightful bird profiles!
