Outline of birds

Last updated July 02, 2025

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to birds:

Birds (class Aves) – winged, bipedal, endothermic (warm-blooded), egg-laying, vertebrate animals. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most varied of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic, to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from the 5 cm (2 in) bee hummingbird to the 2.75 m (9 ft) ostrich.

What type of thing is a bird?

A bird can be described as all of the following:

Life form – entity or being that is living or alive.
- Animal – multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia (also called Metazoa). Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their lives. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently.

Biological classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves

Nature of birds

Bird

Bird anatomy

Bird behavior

Types of birds

Orders

Families

Subfamilies

Genera

History of birds

Bird evolution

Aviculture

Bird diseases and parasites

Threats and conservation

Persons influential in the field of birds

Artists

Ornithologists

List of ornithologists

Writers

Birds in culture

References

External links

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v t e Flamingos (order: Phoenicopteriformes · family: Phoenicopteridae)
Phoeniconaias	Lesser flamingo
Phoenicopterus	Greater flamingo Chilean flamingo James's flamingo Andean flamingo American flamingo (Caribbean flamingo)

v t e Grebes (order: Podicipediformes · family: Podicipedidae)
Genus	Species
Tachybaptus	Little grebe Tricolored grebe Australasian grebe Madagascar grebe †Alaotra grebe Least grebe
Podilymbus	Pied-billed grebe †Atitlán grebe
Rollandia	White-tufted grebe Titicaca grebe
Poliocephalus	Hoary-headed grebe New Zealand grebe
Podiceps	Red-necked grebe Great crested grebe Horned grebe (or Slavonian grebe) Black-necked grebe (or eared grebe) †Colombian grebe Great grebe Silvery grebe Junin grebe Hooded grebe
Aechmophorus	Western grebe Clark's grebe

v t e Loons or divers
Order: Gaviiformes, Family: Gaviidae, Genus: Gavia
Species	Black-throated loon (Arctic loon or black-throated diver) Common loon (great northern diver) Pacific loon (Pacific diver) Red-throated loon (red-throated diver) Yellow-billed loon (white-billed diver)

v t e Mousebirds (order: Coliiformes · family: Coliidae)
Genus	Species
Colius	Speckled mousebird White-headed mousebird Red-backed mousebird White-backed mousebird
Urocolius	Blue-naped mousebird Red-faced mousebird

v t e Penguins
(order: Sphenisciformes · family: Spheniscidae · subfamily: Spheniscinae)
Genus	Species
Aptenodytes (great penguins)	King penguin Emperor penguin
Pygoscelis (brush-tailed penguins)	Adélie penguin Chinstrap penguin Gentoo penguin
Eudyptula (little penguins)	Little penguin (or little blue penguin) White-flippered penguin (or northern little penguin)
Spheniscus (banded penguins)	Magellanic penguin Humboldt penguin Galapagos penguin African penguin
Megadyptes	Yellow-eyed penguin Waitaha penguin (extinct)
Eudyptes (crested penguins)	Fiordland penguin Snares penguin Erect-crested penguin Southern rockhopper penguin Northern rockhopper penguin Royal penguin Macaroni penguin Chatham penguin (extinct)