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An excellent way to improve your identification skills is to study smaller groups of birds that are in the same family or share similar characteristics. We will eventually have 31 different study guides.  Egrets and Herons is the first complete guide.  The Waterfowl Study Guide will be posted shortly.

Select a family on the left to see images and identification tips for birds in that group.  The birds included in each study group may not always be in the same family, from a scientific standpoint, but will share similar characteristics.

great-horned owl

The Great-horned Owl shown here is one of the largest and most wide-spread owl species. They are one of the few predators that will feed on skunks.

 

What Are Bird Families?

Bird families are groups of related bird species that share a common ancestor and have similar physical characteristics, behavior, and ecology. Bird families are classified based on their genetic relationships and other factors, such as the shape of their beaks, the structure of their feathers, and their habitat preferences.

 

How Many Bird Families There Are?

There are 249 bird families according to BirdsOfTheWorld.org . However, the number of bird families is subject to change as new research leads to revisions in taxonomy and classification. Some authorities recognize a slightly different number of bird families, depending on the criteria used for defining them.

In This Category

8 Owl Species Found In Iowa [Field Guide]

14 Owls In Oregon – Every Species You Can See

8 Owls In Tennessee: From Common To Rarest Species

Owls In South Carolina – 6 Species (Incl. The Snowy Owl)

8 Owls In Massachusetts – The Rare & Not So Rare Species

Owls In Maryland – 8 Owl Species & How To Find Them

8 Owls In Indiana – Identification & When To See Them

11 Types of Doves In The U.S. – Species, Identification & More

Owls In Illinois – 8 Species You Can See

Owls In Missouri – 9 Owl Species & Their Habits

The Truth Behind It: Can You Have An Owl As A Pet?

Tit Family Rundown: Tits, Chickadees & Titmice

Finch Species In The United States – 17 Native Finches

Answering Your Questions: Do Owls Eat Cats?

Types of Woodpeckers Found in the United States [23 Species]

What Do Owls Eat? A Sneak Peek To The Diet Of Owls

Do Owls Live In Wisconsin? 11 Species You Can See in WI

13 Owl Species You Can See In Arizona (Common & Rare)

Are There Any Owls Living In California? Most Common Species & How To Identify Them

Do Owls Live in Virginia? [Most Common Species You Can See]

14 Common & Rare Owls You Can See In Colorado [The Full List]

16 Types of Hummingbirds in the U.S. (That You Can Spot!)

Baby Owl – From Hatching to Adulthood

Owls in Ohio (12 Species That You Can See)

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

The 17 Owls in Texas (Commonly Seen & 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

Types of Falcons (All 6) | Field Guide For Identification

Nightjar Family – How to Spot & Identify Them

Snowy Owl

Identifying All 23 Types of Owls in U.S (With Photos)

All About Owl Legs. Strictly Useful Information

Ross’s Goose

Ring-necked Duck

Redhead (Duck)

Red-throated Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Red-breasted Merganser

Pied-billed Grebe

Pacific Loon

Northern Shoveler

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Northern Pintail

Northern Hawk Owl

Mottled Duck

Mallard (Duck)

Long-tailed Duck

Long-eared Owl

Lesser Scaup

Least Grebe

King Eider

Horned Grebe (Identification with Photos)

Hooded Merganser

Harlequin Duck

Green-winged Teal

Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater Scaup

Great Horned Owl

Great Gray Owl

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Flammulated Owl

Emperor Goose

Elf Owl

Eastern Screech-Owl

Eared Grebe

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Common Goldeneye

Common Eider

Short-eared Owl

Clark’s Grebe

Snow Goose

Cinnamon Teal

Spotted Owl

Surf Scoter

Canvasback

Canada Goose

Cackling Goose

Burrowing Owl

Bufflehead

Brant (Bird)

Boreal Owl

Western Grebe

Western Meadowlark

Western Screech-Owl

White-winged Scoter

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Barn Owl

American Wigeon (Male and Female Identification) + Lots of Photos

American Black Duck

Top 15 Owl Facts Everyone Must Know!

Tufted Duck

All Three Types of Swans in United States (Identification)

Comparison of Mallard VS. Black Duck VS. Mottled Ducks

Comparison of Lesser and Greater Scaup

Steller’s Eider Identification

Spectacled Eider

Blue-winged Teal Identification

Comparing Coot vs Moorhen vs Gallinule – Differences and Similarities

Pelicans In The United States: Species & Identification Tips

Stiff-tailed Ducks (Birdzilla Center for Bird Identification)

Wood Stork Or Roseate Spoonbill?

Juvenile Black-Crowned Night-Heron vs. Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Bittern Species You Can See In The U.S. [ID Guide]

Regularly Occurring Cranes of the United States

Types of Regularly Occurring Ibis of the United States

Regularly Occurring Night-Herons of the United States

Different Types of Herons in North America

5 Egret Species You Can See In The United States

18 Types of Hawks in the United States That You Can See

27 Types of Ducks in United States

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