Skip to Content

Learning to identify the birds you see and hear is a wonderful skill to have. Improving your bird identification skills will lead to greater enjoyment of the birds around you.

Once you can identify most of the birds you see and hear, you can support various citizen science programs or even become a researcher or professional ornithologist.

There are two topics in this section of the site…

bird identification

1. Identifying Birds – Which Bird Did You See?

The first choice on your right is called Which bird did you see? In this bird identifier section you will find assistance in identifying what birds you have seen. We have selected 200 of the most commonly observed birds across the United States.

They are presented in different ways and with multiple images.   Bird identifcation filters inclide color, size and habitat.

State-specific bird identification information is also provided.

If you can identify 200 bird species, you are well on your way to becoming a bird expert!

Which Bird Did You See >

2. Bird Identification – Skill Development

bird identificationIdentifying birds you see is a fun part of bird watching.  This section will help you improve your birding skills. Topics include:

  • Basics of bird identification
  • Common Bird ID Challenges
  • Bird Family Study Guides.  They serve as an advanced bird identifier resource.  Novice to intermediate level birders will find the information useful in improving their bird ID skills.

 

Skill Development >>

 

In This Category

Owls in Ohio (12 Species That You Can See)

The 12 Common and Rare Owls in Michigan (That You Can See)

The 16 Owls in Texas (9 Commonly Seen & 8 Rare Birds)

The 11 Owls in Georgia That You Can See (5 Common & 4 Rare)

11 Owls in Florida That You Can Actually See (If You’re Lucky)

Boobie Family – How to Spot & Identify Them

Falcon Identification | Field Guide For Successful Identification

Birds With Yellow Bellies – 20 Most Beautiful Species in North America

Nightjar Family – How to Spot & Identify Them

Birds With Red Chests

Birds With Red Heads

Most Common Black And Orange Birds

13 Most Beautiful Yellow And Black Birds

12 Most Common Types of Black And Blue Birds

Top 10 Most Popular Red And Black Birds

11 Types of Purple Birds

15 Most Common Brown Birds

Raven vs Crow – What Are The Differences (and Similarities)

12 Different Types Of Pink Birds

Surf Scoter Identification

Comparisons: Dunlin and Stilt Sandpiper

Comparison of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs

Comparison of Orange-crowned and Tennessee Warbler

Tufted Duck

All Three Swans in United States (Identification)

Comparison of Mallard, Black Duck and Mottled Ducks

Comparison of Lesser and Greater Scaup

Western Grebe Identification

Red-necked Grebe Identification

Pied-billed Grebe Identification

Least Grebe Identification

Horned Grebe Identification

Eared Grebe Identification

Clark’s Grebe Identification

Red-throated Loon Identification

Pacific Loon Identification (How To Identify?)

Common Loon Identification

Brant Identification

Canada Goose Identification

Cackling Goose Identification

Emperor Goose Identification

Ross’s Goose Identification

Snow Goose Identification

Greater White-fronted Goose Identification

Hooded Merganser Identification

Red-Breasted Merganser Identification

Common Merganser Identification

Identification of Bufflehead

Identification of Common Goldeneye

Barrow’s Goldeneye Identification

Identification of Long-tailed-Duck

Identification of Harlequin Duck

Identification of White-winged Scoter

Identification of Black Scoter

Steller’s Eider Identification

Spectacled Eider

King Eider (Duck Identification)

Common Eider (Identification)

Lesser Scaup Identification

Greater Scaup Identification

Identification of Ring-Necked Duck

Redhead Identification

Canvasback Identification

Cinnamon Teal Identification

Blue-winged Teal Identification

Northern Shoveler Identification

Northern Pintail Identification

American Wigeon Identification

Green-winged Teal Identification

Gadwall Identification

Mallard Identification

Mottled Duck Identification

American Black Duck (Identification)

Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification – Coot, Moorhen and Gallinule

Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification – Pelicans

Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification – Stiff-tailed Ducks

Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification-Perching Ducks

Whistling Ducks – Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification

Videos of Egrets, Herons and More

Wood Stork and Roseate Spoonbill

Bills of Herons and Egrets

Comparisons of juvenile Black-crowned and Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons

Bitterns

Regularly Occurring Limpkins of the United States

Regularly Occurring Cranes of the United States

Regularly Occurring Ibis of the United States

Regularly Occurring Night-Herons of the United States

Regularly Occurring Herons of the United States

Regularly Occurring Egrets of the United States 

Types of Hawks in United States (Identification)

14 Types of Ducks in United States

Sparrow Imposters

SPID Key – Streaked Breast

SPID Key – Clear Breast

Sparrow Identification (SPID) Key

Identification of the Song Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow and Vesper Sparrow.

Tips on identifying the Song Sparrow

Identification of Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers

Identification of Snowy and Piping Plovers

Identification of Semipalmated and Wilson’s Plovers

Identification of Mourning and Eurasian Collared-Dove

Identification of Cassin’s, House and Purple Finches

Yellowleg (Lesser & Greater) Identification

White Birds (Different Types With Photos)

12 Different Types of Black Birds (With Photos and IDs)

Different Types Of Black and White Birds

Different Species of Red Birds (You Might Have Seen)

Types of Blue Birds: 20 Most Common Species (With Photos)

Different Types Of Orange Birds

26 Types of Yellow Birds

The 15 Types of Green Birds

Mixed Color Birds (Also Rainbow Birds)

Common birds of Beaches and Shorelines

Most Popular Lake and River Birds

Birds Commonly Seen on Sides of Trees

Birds Commonly Seen in Tree Tops

Birds Commonly Seen On Ground

Birds Seen in Flight (Identifying)

Birds You Can See On Roadsides, Power Lines and Fences

Birds Often Seen at Feeders

Birds Often Seen in Open Fields

Birds With Long Legs – 16 Most Common Specimen

Birds With Long Bills

Birds with Hooked Beaks

Birds With Pointed Bills

Biggest Birds (By Size)

Medium-sized Birds

Small Birds (By Size)

Very Small Birds

ABC’s of Bird Identification – Color, Markings and Patterns

ABC’s of Bird Identification – Size

ABC’s of Bird Identification – Shape

ABC’s of Bird Identification – Habitat

ABC’s of Bird Identification – Behavior

Top 20 Observed Bird Species

Name That Bird

Load More

Would you like to get new articles of birds (Once a month?)

No SPAM! We might only send you fresh updates once a month

Thank you for subscribing!

No thanks! I prefer to follow BirdZilla on Facebook