What starts with the letter C, do you think, out there in the world? From tiny hummingbirds to huge ducks, we’ve compiled a list of 32 “C” birds of various kinds. Of course, this is just a small sample of the birds that begin with the letter C in the world. Each of the birds mentioned here begins with the letter C.
BIRDS THAT START WITH C
1.CASSIA CROSSBILL
Scientific name: Loxia sinesciuris
Lives in: South Hills, Idaho
Stocky is a big-headed finch that uses its unusual crossed beak to extract seeds from lodgepole pine cones. It can be distinguished from the Red Crossbill by its calls, especially when it is flying. Males are brown or gray in color with orange or red patches. Drab yellowy olive females are present. In younger individuals, the streaks are more noticeable than in adults.
Fun fact: Since it has adapted to eating lodgepole pine cones in the South Hills area that the red crossbill cannot open, the cassia crossbill was only recently designated a separate species from the red crossbill.
2.CRESTED CARACARA
Scientific name: Caracara plancus
Lives in: southern United States, Mexico, Central and South America
Because of its pointed beak and lengthy talons, the Crested Caracara looks like an eagle. It’s a black and white falcon that can be found in tropical areas. It’s a hawk-like bird, despite the fact that it’s a black and white falcon. Standing tall on its long yellow-orange legs, each with a small black hat that stands out against a white neck and face, it’s instantly recognized.
Fun fact: Because of its prevalence in mythology and folklore across Central and South America, it is frequently known as the “Mexican Eagle.”
3.CONNECTICUT WARBLER
Scientific name: Oporornis agilis
Lives in: South America, Florida to the Great Lakes, parts of Canada
The white eye-ring, yellow belly, yellow-olive back, and gray hood distinguish the Connecticut warbler. Females are paler than males, but they are otherwise similar.
Since they forage on the ground and slowly walk through underbrush, these warblers are difficult to spot. Spruce bogs, poplar woodlands, and muskeg are among its preferred habitats. These birds are among the least well-studied in the United States due to a combination of factors.
Fun fact: This bird is named after the state of Connecticut, so you may assume it lives there. The first specimen was, however, only collected in this location. In Connecticut, this warbler is not a breeding species, and it is only slightly common.
3.CAROLINA CHICKADEE
Scientific name: Poecile carolinensis
Lives in: southeastern United States
The black-capped chickadee and the inquisitive, clever Carolina chickadee look a lot alike. They both wear black hats and bibs, as well as black back and wings. It’s no surprise that the Carolina and black-capped chickadee (who resides farther north) mate successfully in places where their territories overlap since they’re so similar.
Fun fact: Chickadees will quickly visit backyard feeders, however they’ll typically grab one seed and move to a nearby limb to eat it.
4.CALIFORNIA CONDOR
Scientific name: Gymnogyps californianus
Lives in: Baja California, California, parts of Arizona, Nevada and Utah
The biggest bird in North America is the magnificent but vulnerable California condor. They’re amazing gliders that feast on the corpses of pigs, deer, cattle, sea lions, and whales while swiping up other species from all around the globe. Couples establish nests in caverns on cliffs. In the 1980s, the population had dropped to 22 birds. As of 2021, around 230 birds will be flying freely in California.
Fun fact: California condors eat more carcasses than other scavengers. When a golden eagle is present, it’s the polar opposite. Although the condor has greater talons than an eagle, it has a respectable amount of weight; in fact, it weighs roughly twice as much.
6.CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Scientific name: Spizella pallida
Lives in: parts of Canada, central U.S., Mexico
Their distinctive sound is the chirping song of the clay-colored sparrow. Their light tones and distinct, crisp markings set them apart from other kinds of sparrows, despite the fact that they aren’t particularly bright. These busy birds prefer to hunt on the ground or in the branches of plants, where they can hide among vegetation. Their numbers have gradually dropped in the last 40 years, despite being still quite high.
Fun fact: The relationship between a pair of clay-colored sparrows is temporary. Every year, males are generally devoted to their areas, but females travel to a different breeding location every season.
7.CERULEAN WARBLER
Scientific name: Setophaga cerulea
Lives in: Eastern North America, eastern Mexico, Central America, and portions of northern and western South America
With blue on their heads, back, wings, and sides, males live up to their name. Females, on the other hand, are mostly drab blue-green and yellow. The cerulean warblers migrate from the northeastern United States to South America during the winter, breeding in mature woodlands and then flying all the way down. Their population, however, has been decreasing as a result of habitat destruction.
Fun fact: Females often reuse spiderweb threads from the previous nest while building a new nest.
8.CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR
Scientific name: Calcarius ornatus
Lives in: Shortgrass plains (US and Mexico) are desert grasslands, rangelands, and shortgrass plains.
A blend of buff neck, black belly, and chestnut nape distinguishes breeding males. When they are participating in display flights at the start of summer, they show these hues. While grazing in the desert grasslands during the winter, females and males appear grayish and inconspicuous.
Insects like grasshoppers and ground seeds make up the majority of their diet. They spend a lot of their time foraging for food while walking through the grass.
Fun fact: Their hind toe’s extended claw gives them their moniker, “longspur.”
9.CANVASBACK
Scientific name: Aythya valisineria
Lives in: United States, western Canada up through Alaska, Mexico
The long, sloping face of a canvasback is distinct. The head and neck of males are brownish-red, with a black chest and white body. The face of females is unique, as they are all brown. Diving ducks, who mostly feed on tubers found at the bottom of lakes, ponds, and wetlands.
Fun fact: During the winter, they may aggregate in hundreds or even thousands on freshwater lakes and along the seashore.
10.CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE
Scientific name: Poecile rufescens
Lives in: Canada’s Pacific Northwest and U.S. West Coast
Like any other chickadee, this one is active, social, and noisy. Among foraging hordes that pass through tall conifers, you’ll find these birds, as well as nuthatches, titmice, and other chickadee species. They’ve been known to move into the suburbs and ornamental plants of cities such as San Francisco, despite their comfort in damp, dark forests.
Fun fact: The chestnut-backed chickadee builds its nest out of a lot of fur and hair. Adults wrap their eggs in a quarter-inch thick layer of fur before leaving the nest, which they construct with an outer layer of fur.
11.CHUKAR
Scientific name: Alectoris chukar
Lives in: New Zealand, Hawaii, the United States, Greece, Turkey, and Iran are among the countries affected.
The Chukar, which lives in arid environments, is a ground bird. Because of the speed and agility with which it scurries and flies across slopes, hunters refer to it as the “devil bird,” indicating its ferocious determination to flee capture or death. They stay close to any water source they can locate, even tiny springs, ground seeps, and underground caves, since they live in such arid climates.
Fun fact: To maintain their feathers in top shape, chukars bathe in dust nearly every day. They toss the dust onto their bodies and rub it in as best they can, creating little depressions in the earth.
12.CACKLING GOOSE
Scientific name: Branta hutchinsii
Lives in: United States, coastal Canada
The Cackling Goose resembles a little Canada Goose when viewed from afar. In reality, they were once thought to be the same animal. Cackling geese, on the other hand, are much more delicate. Their bills are stubbier and their necks are shorter (as seen when they’re flying).
Furthermore, their skulls are usually softer. As compared to Canada goose calls, they have a higher pitch. Since they spend their breeding season in remote sections of northern Canada and Alaska, the majority of individuals will only view them throughout the winter.
Fun fact: Listen to the cackling goose’s distinct high-pitched cry. Their cry, which is unmistakably unlike that of Canada geese, is where the common name ‘cackling’ comes from.
13.COMMON GOLDENEYE
Scientific name: Bucephala clangula
Lives in: Asia, North America, and Europe.
A medium-sized duck that stands out. A black head with a round white cheek patch is worn by adult males. Their body is mostly white, with a little black on the back. The bodies of females and males in their first year are gray, while the heads are chocolate brown. The attention of everyone is drawn to this bird’s bright yellow eyes.
Fun fact: Because of the unique whistling sound that its wings make while flying, hunters have dubbed the Common Goldeneye the “whistler.” The whistling sound is amplified by the cold weather.
14.COOPER’S HAWK
Scientific name: Accipiter cooperii
Lives in: Southern Canada, continental USA, Mexico, and parts of Guatemala and Belize.
Cooper’s hawks are exceptional fliers. In pursuit of smaller birds, these woodland hawks are common woodland hawks that can quickly maneuver through the tangled canopy. One is likely to be seen soaring through an edge of the forest or over a field, gliding with just a few wing strokes and hunting for prey. They’re also known to hunt for a quick meal around backyard bird feeders. While cooper’s hawks consume little rodents and birds, the majority of their diet is made up of birds.
Fun fact: High-speed chases aren’t without risk, and they sustain injuries. Cooper’s hawk bones were studied in a study of over 300 specimens, with 23% of them demonstrating that the bones in their chest had fractured at one time.
15.COMMON GROUND DOVE
Scientific name: Columbina passerina
Lives in: southernmost United States, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, northern South America
The common ground dove is a little, sparrow-sized bird with drab, dusty brownish-gray feathers. As they walk along tall grasses looking for seeds, this helps them blend in with the ground. When you get close to them and scare them away, you may notice the rusty red patch underneath their wings as they fly off. These frequent foragers must consume about 2,500 seeds every day and store hundreds in a unique throat pocket.
Fun fact: Common ground doves, like other pigeons and doves, can swallow water while keeping their heads lowered. Unlike many birds, they have the ability to suck it in. They don’t need to tilt their head back.
16.CACTUS WREN
Scientific name: Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Lives in: southwestern United States, Baja, Mexico
The cactus wren is a brown-backed, heavily streaked bird with a rounded body. The throat and belly are light with dark speckles, while the tail is barred. Their beak is long and slightly downward bent, similar to that of other wrens, and they have a prominent white “eyebrow. Cactus wrens constantly flap their wings and are frequently heard. These birds are usually found nesting among cholla or prickly-pear cacti. To call, they like to perch atop cacti.
Fun fact: Cactus wrens don’t drink water directly, so they’re a genuine desert birds. The food they consume (fruit and plump insects) provides them with the majority of the water they need.
17.CALIFORNIA SCRUB-JAY
Scientific name: Aphelocoma californica
Lives in: western California, western Oregon, parts of Washington, Baja California
The head, back, and tail of the California scrub-jay are all stunningly blue. A patch that looks gray or brown may be seen across their upper back. It has a mostly white chest and belly with a necklace of blue feathers around the front.
Both the way they bark frequently and the bounce around and seem to be cocking their heads, as if hatching schemes, have earned them a reputation for being boisterous. Throughout the spring and summer, they feed on fruit and insects, then throughout the winter, they switch to nuts, seeds, and acorns.
Fun fact: These birds will occasionally sit on mule deer backs, feeding on ticks and parasites that they find in their fur.
18.CALIFORNIA TOWHEE
Scientific name: Melozone crissalis
Lives in: western California, southwestern Oregon, Baja California
The California towhee is a large sparrow species, in fact. They have rusty brown patches around the eye, on the face, and under the tail, and are overall a dusty gray-brown color.
You might see them knocking on your window, car mirror, or other reflective surface because they are known to frequently challenge their reflection. They prefer dense chaparral and scrublands, where they feed on the ground and in shrubs, which are common in many backyards but are not their native habitat.
Fun fact: The berries of poison oak are actually favorite foods for these towhees as they build their nests.
19.CASSIN’S FINCH
Scientific name: Haemorhous cassinii
Lives in: western United States, parts of western Canada, pockets in Mexico
The aspen and evergreen woodlands of the high west are appealing to this charming rose finch. The darkest red is on the little crest at the front of their head, and males have a raspberry red wash on their head, chest, and back. They have a buffy belly and no stripes. The back of females is brown, but there is no read color. They have thick brown streaking on their chest and belly.
The house finch or purple finch are frequently confused with Cassin’s finch. Cassin’s finch has streaks on its belly, unlike the smoothly rounded and highly colored head of the purple finch, and its head is smaller and has a tiny peak, which may help you distinguish them.
Fun fact: These little birds are fond of salt, and you may frequently see them at mineral deposits.
20.CAROLINA WREN
Scientific name: Thryothorus ludovicianus
Lives in: central and eastern United States, parts of eastern Mexico
The top of these little birds is crimson-brown, while the underside is orangish. These have a longish beak with a somewhat bent shape and a prominent white eyebrow. They prefer to hide in the brush, making it difficult to see them, but their shrill “teakettle-teakettle” cry is unmistakable. Males sing, although their voices are surprisingly loud for their little size.
Fun fact: Due to increasing winter temperatures, the Carolina wren’s range has gradually expanded north.
21.CANYON TOWHEE
Scientific name: Melozone fusca
Lives in: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, southern Colorado, Mexico
Canyon towhees are bigger than regular sparrows with longer legs and a longer tail, making them members of the sparrow family. Their color is described as “dirt” brown with a warm brown patch on the underside of the tail. The best way to describe it is to say it’s all-over.
Because they spend their time on the ground and beneath shrubs, this coloring assists them blend in well in their desert habitat. Insects, seeds, and berries are all sought after by Towhees while rummaging through leaf litter and vegetation. It’s amusing to observe them scratching at the ground and maneuvering brush while performing a doubled-footed backwards hop motion.
Fun fact: Canyon towhees are watchful about water supply and nesting timing, since their habitat is excessively dry.
22.CEDAR WAXWING
Scientific name: Bombycilla cedrorum
Lives in: Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America
The distinctive coloring of Cedar Waxwings makes them easier to spot. The tawny brown head and chest, yellow belly, black wings, and yellow-tipped short tail of these medium-sized birds.
They have a enormous fluffy brown crest and a dramatic black eye mask rimmed in white. One of the few North American birds that may subsist on fruit alone for many months is the cedar waxwing, which enjoys fruit. Insects and other foods are supplemented to their diet, although they may eat up to 50% more fruit than other birds.
Fun fact: The reddish waxy nubs at the ends of their wings give the term “waxwing” its name. They’re sometimes difficult to perceive and no one knows what they’re for. They might help attract potential partners.
23.CHIPPING SPARROW
Scientific name: Spizella passerina
Lives in: Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America
With a buffy gray breast, brown and tan streaked wings, rust red cap, and a black line through the eye with white above, chipping sparrows display their most crisp feathers in the summer. Their markings may seem less distinct in the winter and more buffy-brown in color. They’re common Sparrows that prefer to eat in open areas. Look for them in areas with a mix of tree and grassy openings, such as suburban gardens.
Fun Fact: Backyard feeders are home to a lot of chipping sparrows, who prefer to remain on the ground and collect whatever has fallen. Sunflower and mixed seed, especially spread on the ground, attract them.
24.CAPE MAY WARBLER
Scientific name: Setophaga tigrina
Lives in: eastern United States and Canada, Caribbean, east coast of Central America
The tail and beak of these lovely warblers are small. Males have a chestnut cheek patch, and they have a dark olive back with yellow streaked breast. They’re challenging to spot in Canada’s northern spruce-fir woods while breeding.
The spruce budworm caterpillar, their primary food source, determines how successful they are in producing young. The best view of it is in the United States. Then spending the winter in the Caribbean after spending the spring and fall migrating.
Fun fact: The name comes from when the bird was first seen and described in Cape May, New Jersey. These warblers, on the other hand, are rare in Cape May and have not been seen there since their initial visit over a century ago.
25.COMMON GRACKLE
Scientific name: Quiscalus quiscula
Lives in: Canada, United States
Grackles are also quite beautiful in the right light with their iridescent feathers, despite being classified as bully birds like the starling. They are frequently black in hue, but blue, green, brown, and purple colors may be seen in bright light.
They may roost alongside other sorts of blackbirds, producing vast numbers of birds in the process. Their solid color, long slender body and tail, and yellow ringed eye make them easy to spot.
Fun Fact: Grackles may use their hard point on the inside of their upper mandible to saw open acorns.
26.COMMON RAVEN
Scientific name: Corvus corax
Lives in: Mexico, United States, Canada, Greenland, Europe, Asia
Solid black in color, Wild Ravens are rather huge creatures. Their cousin, the crow, is also renowned for its problem-solving abilities. They appear to be at home in both urban and natural settings, as if they were in a desert. The most prevalent sound produced by Ravens is a series of croaks, which can produce a wide range of noises. Ravens are more frequent in the western half of the United States.
Fun fact: Ravens have always followed human hunting parties’ wagons and sleds, ready to devour any animal carcass leftovers.
27.COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
Scientific name: Geothlypis trichas
Lives in: Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean
One of the most common warblers in the United States is a common yellowthroat. They spend the breeding season here for the most part of the year before migrating south for winter.
Males have a black face mask, a brilliant yellow throat, and an olive-brown back and tail. Females have the same coloration as males, but do not have a black mask. Brushy fields and bodies of water like marshes and wetlands are among their favorite places. While hiking near a large pond or marsh, I often come across these guys.
Fun Fact: The female’s mating song may attract other males that she may breed with behind his back, thus males typically only breed with one female per season.
28.CURVE-BILLED THRASHER
Scientific name: Toxostoma curvirostre
Lives in: southwestern United States, Mexico
With a light throat and speckled belly, the curve-billed thrasher is a drab gray-brown. Their beak is black and their eye is yellow-orange, and they have a sturdy beak. Because of the way they sweep their beak back and forth through leaf litter in search of bugs, I assume they’re called thrashers. Fruit, seeds, and even flowers are also eaten by them. Plants with spines, such as cacti, are easier to forage on due to their long bill.
Fun Fact: Their whistle is likened to a cab driver hailing a cab, and it has been described as such.
29.CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Selasphorus calliope
Lives in: northwestern U.S. and Canada, southwestern Mexico
The hummingbird migrates north during the breeding season, spending most of its winter in southern Mexico before moving to the Pacific Northwest and portions of western Canada. The calliope is the tiniest bird in the United States, so this is an impressively long migration! The throat pattern of males is distinctive, with blue streaks splitting down the sides. The throat and underparts of females are plain, with occasional green markings.
Fun Fact: Just as a ping-pong ball, Calliope hummers weigh barely anything in the United States.
30.COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Calypte costae
Lives in: northwestern Mexico, southwestern U.S., Baja California
The deep purple color of male Costa’s cheeks is well-known. They have purple feathers that protrude out on both sides like a mustache, and they have a splash of purple on their foreheads as well as their throat. Green females have a white underside. Costa’s have somewhat shorter wings and tail than other hummingbirds, as well as being compact. Baja and southern California are home to them all year. In the scorching Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, they are perfectly at home.
Fun Fact: According to researchers, a Costa’s hummingbird must consume about 1,000 calories each day to survive.
31.CASPIAN TERN
Scientific name: Hydroprogne caspia
Lives: North America, Europe (particularly the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea), Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand all have lakes and ocean coasts.
The Caspian tern’s bill is crimson-orange, whereas most terns’ bills are smaller and “leaner.” The end of the beak usually has a black or dark patch. They have a little peak at the rear of their skull and their foreHEAD and cAP are solid black. With a huge head, stocky physique, and robust neck, they are the biggest of all terns. Their tail has a shallow fork while they’re in the air, and their main feathers’ underside is black.
Fun Fact: The world’s biggest breeding Caspian tern colony, with over 6,000 pairs each year, lives on an artificially built island in the Columbia River.
32.CANADA WARBLER
The back of a Canada warbler is black, while the throat, chest, and belly are bright yellow. Males have a black necklace and streaks on their head, as well as a black neck. The neck of females is somewhat blacker, and their faces are lighter. They spend the winter in northern South America, before moving across Central America, eastern Mexico, and eastern the United States. Northern New England and Canada are ideal breeding grounds. However, they are one of the final warblers to arrive in the spring and one of the first to leave in the autumn, so they don’t stay long.
Fun Fact: During their 3,000-mile migration from South America to Canada, these warblers fly.