Birds with the letter D in their names number over 300 different species. Some well-known birds that begin with D, as well as a few less popular ones, will be discussed in this article.
Furthermore, each of the species of birds that begin with the letter D has a few interesting facts.
17 BIRDS THAT START WITH THE LETTER D
1. DALMATIAN PELICAN
Scientific name: Melanerpes formicivorus
Lives in: Central Eurasia, Medditereanean, Taiwan, Persuan Gulf, Serbia
The Dalmatian pelican flocks fly at the same time. They are the biggest of both the fresh-water and pelican bird families, respectively. Although they migrate for short distances, the Dalmatian pelican is a migratory bird. Like their white and brown cousins, Dalmatian pelicans are not found in the United States.
Fun fact about Dalmatian pelicans: The Dalmatian pelicans are less social than the other pelican species, typically nesting in tiny groups or even alone.
2. DAMARA TERN
Scientific name: Sternula balaenarum
Lives in: Southern Africa
At just 9 inches long, the Damara tern is a tiny bird. By diving from three to eight meters above the ground, it captures food. Little fish and squid make up the majority of its diet. They tend to feed in isolation while they nest communally.
Fun fact about Damara terns: A high-pitched “tsit tsit” and a more harsh sound akin to “kid-ick” may be characterized as the Damara tern’s song/call.
3. DARJEELING WOODPECKER
Scientific name: Dendrocopos darjellensis
Lives in: India, Myanmar, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan
The neck of the Darjeeling woodpecker is yellow on each side, and it has a long beak with black upperback and white patches. It also has white flight feathers. A crimson nape patch and a black beard distinguish males.
Fun fact about Darjeeling woodpeckers: Tropical and subtropical wet montane woods and lowlands are their native habitats.
4. DARK CHANTING GOSHAWK
Scientific name: Melierax metabates
Lives in: Sub-saharan Africa, southern Morroco, southern Arabia
The black chanting goshawk, which swoops down to capture prey in the air or on the ground, preys from a perch. Reptiles, other birds, and mammals are among the animals they prey on. The subspecies found in Morocco and the Arabian peninsula is vulnerable, despite its widespread distribution and lack of threat.
Fun fact about dark chanting goshawks: They are often heard calling from their perch or in the air, which makes them very vocal birds.
5. DARTFORD WARBLER
Scientific name: Curruca undata
Lives in: west Europe, northwest Africa
The Dartford warbler is a little bird with a slender, pointed beak and a long, slender tail. It stands at just 5.1 inches tall. Thomas Pennant, a Welsh naturalist, was the first to discover it in 1776. At the age of one, breeding begins. They are a single-gendered bird species.
Fun fact about Dartford wablers: The building of the nest is often done by both the male and female. The male, however, may build several basic breeding nests before the female chooses one.
6. DARWIN’S FLYCATCHER
Scientific name: Pyrocephalus nanus
Lives in: Galápagos Islands
Darwin’s flycatcher has a life expectancy of roughly five years. They prefer to dwell in damp woodlands and shrublands. In some of the Galápagos Islands, it is extinct; in others, it is endangered. The red plumage, eye patterns, and black wings of males distinguish them immediately.
Fun fact about Darwin’s flycatchers: They weigh roughly 12 grams and are around 13 cm long.
7. DAURIAN STARLING
Scientific name: Agropsar sturninus
Lives in: eastern Mongolia, southeastern Russia, North Korea, central China
The Daurian starling’s small wing bars, as well as its unusual black mantle and crown, distinguish it from other starling species. Temperate and boreal woods are common habitats for these birds.
Fun fact about Daurian starlings: Daurian starlings are migratory birds that congregate in huge flocks and are frequently seen.
8. DEAD SEA SPARROW
The Dead sea sparrow mainly eats seeds, just like other types of sparrows. Breeding takes place in arid lowland environments with nearby bushes, where water is accessible. The female lays four to seven eggs during the breeding season.
Fun fact about Dead Sea sparrows: Because they primarily breed in regions near the Dead Sea, they are known by this name.
9. DESERT OWL
Scientific name: Strix hadorami
Lives in: Israel, northeast Egypt, Jordan, the Arabian peninsula
Hume’s owl was the previous name for the desert owl. The tawny and omani owls are both related to this species. Rocky ravines, arid and semi-arid terrains, and palm trees are preferred habitats for desert owls. In the cracks of cliffs, you can find desert owl nests. Little rodents and huge insects make up the majority of its diet.
Fun fact about desert owls: The female Eurasian collard dove call is substantially deeper than the male desert owl call, which has been reported to be rhythmic like that of the Eurasian collard dove.
10. DIAMOND FIRETAIL
The fiery red beak, rump, and eyes of the diamond firetail make it easy to spot. A black band runs across the top half of its chest, under its flank, and is visible throughout the top portion of its body. This black band is striped with white specks just below the flanks. It has a little darker shade on the top of its wings.
Fun fact about diamond firetails: Ripe and partially ripe fruits, invertebrates, and seeds are among the foods they consume. Insects and seeds are most of the time found on the ground.
11. DOLPHIN GULL
Scientific name: Leucophaeus scoresbii
Lives in: southern Chile, Argentina, the Falkland Islands.
A coastal bird, the dolphin gull This bird is most frequently seen on muddy, sandy, or rocky beaches. Dolphin gulls eat a wide range of foods, from marine invertebrates and bird eggs to garbage and are frequently found near other seabird colonies.
Fun fact about dolphin gulls: Scavengers and opportunistic birds are names for these birds.
12. DOT-EARED COQUETTE
Scientific name: Lophornis gouldii
Lives in: Bolivia, Brazil
Hummingbirds with a dot-eared coquette are mostly found in Brazil. Its flapping wings, on the other hand, may sound like a quiet humming bee while hovering. It will fly in a circle looking for nectar, which makes it a sedentary bird and a trap-line feeder. The female will lay two eggs during the breading season, which runs from December to April.
Fun fact about dot-eared coquettes: At 3 inches long and weighing less than 0.01 ounces, the dot-eared coquette is a tiny bird.
13. DUSKY ANTBIRD
Scientific name: Cercomacroides tyrannina
Lives in: southeastern Mexico, western Ecuador, Amazonian Brazil
An English biologist named Philip Sclater was the first to identify this species in 1855. The female will lay two eggs during the breeding season, which are incubated by both parents. Both parents are responsible for feeding the child as well.
Fun fact about dusky antbirds: The male and female sing a duet when calling, with the male starting the call and the female responding to it.
14. DUSKY PARROT
Scientific name: Pionus fuscus
Lives in: Guiana, the Guiana Shield, northeastern Amazon Basin
Tree cavities are a common location for their nests. The female will incubate the eggs for around 26 days, ranging from three to four white eggs. The fledgelings will leave the nest at 70 days old, or 70 days after hatching. Dusky parrots prefer humid low-lying woods to other types of natural habitat.
Fun fact about dusky parrots: The dusky parrot, unlike other parrots, is quiet. It has a vocabulary of 10 to 20 words.
15. DUSKY-HEADED PARAKEET
Scientific name: Aratinga weddellii
Lives in: eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, southern Amazonian Brazil, and central Bolivia
Green is the most common hue of the birds’ bodies. It has a grayish head and a blue-tipped tail. It has large white eyerings. This is a bird that lives in tiny groups and is very sociable. Flowers, seeds, and fruit are all part of the dusky-headed parakeet’s diet.
Fun fact about dusky-headed parakeets: Woodpecker holes or aborneal termite nests will be used by pairs to raise their young.
16. DUNLIN
Scientific name: Calidris alpina
Lives in: North America
The Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts of the United States are home to Dunlin, a North American shorebird. These birds migrate north to Alaska and Canada’s sub-arctic tundra to breed. They feed on insects, crustaceans, and occasionally fish as they dig through the mud and sand.
The red-backed sandpipers were the original name for Dunlin, which comes from their spring color. In the winter, they acquire a drab gray-brown plumage that earned them their moniker “dunlin,” which they still have today.
17. DOWNY WOODPECKER
Scientific name: Picoides pubescens
Live in: United States, Canada
These little woodpeckers may be found across most of the country, except in the far north. The North American Downy Woodpeckers are the tiniest species of woodpeckers. They’re also quite prevalent at bird feeders, where they’re typically the first to arrive.
Sugary foods like suet are adored by Downy Woodpeckers, but they also eat seeds such as sunflower seeds and millet. Their white spots on the backs and underbellies distinguish them from the sparrows, which are about their size. A red patch on top of the heads of males is also possible.