Birds that begin with the letter M will be discussed in this article. The captivating hues, peculiar habits, and exquisite singing of the birds on this list were chosen. There are a lot of birds with the M name that we may learn about from songbirds to penguins.
BIRDS THAT START WITH M
The names of 18 superb and stunning bird species begin with M are listed below. Here’s a sneak peek!
1. MACARONI PENGUIN
Scientific name: Eudyptes chrysolophus
Lives in: Subantarctic, Antarctic Peninsula
The black and white bodies of macaroni penguins, as well as their yellow crest, distinguish them from other birds. Its diet includes mostly squid, fish, and crustaceans, and it is closely related to the royal penguin. When they’re five years old, females begin to reproduce, and when they’re six years old, males begin to reproduce.
Fun fact about macaroni penguins: The population is still estimated to be around 18 million people, despite a substantial drop in recent years.
2. MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
Scientific name: Sialia currucoides
Lives in: western Canada and the United States, parts of Mexico
One of the most vivid and colorful bluebirds is the mountain bluebird. The head, back, and chest of males are all powder blue. Males have a brilliant almost neon blue coloration. Femen have a duller coloration with blue flecks and are more gray in appearance. You may discover them in open woodlands, meadows, and prairies at elevations of up to 12,500 feet. As the name implies, they can be found there. They are readily visible and don’t seem to mind being around human activity, and they will visit feeders in locations where they live.
Fun fact about mountain bluebirds: Rather than how blue he looks, the female will often choose her mate based solely on how much she likes the nesting spot he has selected.
3. MADAGASCAR FISH EAGLE
Scientific name: Haliaeetus vociferoides
Lives in: Madagascar
A large bird of prey, the Madagascar fish eagle is found in Madagascar. These are 26-inch-long sea eagles with a 71-inch wing span. Males may weigh up to six pounds, while females may weigh up to eight pounds. The eyesight of sea eagles is very acute, allowing them to see fish, crabs, and turtles from afar. With roughly 98 breeding pairs alive, this may be considered one of the world’s rarest birds. The species is considered to be at a high risk of extinction.
Fun fact about Madagascar fish eagles: Madagascar’s national bird, they are also found in Africa.
4. MADEIRA FIRECREST
Scientific name: Regulus madeirensis
Lives on: island of Madeira
These birds’ mating behavior is one-of-a-kind. By pointing its beak at another bird and elevating its crest while singing, the male Madeira firecrest will put on a show. Monogamy is a characteristic of these birds. The nest is built singlehandedly by the female. While she is busy constructing the nest, however, she may be joined by a male.
Fun fact about Madeira firecrests: Both parents participate in the duty of feeding the chicks and fledgelings, with the female incubating the eggs.
5. MAGELLANIC PENGUIN
Scientific name: Spheniscus magellanicus
Lives in: Patagonia, Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, Brazil, Uruguay, Espirito Santo
The Magellanic has exceptionally stiff wings that enable them to move quickly and easily beneath the surface, where they capture their prey. Crustaceans, squid, krill, and cuttlefish are the main sources of food for this penguin. Jelly fish has also been documented as an item of food for Magellanic penguins. In huge flocks, they hunt for food.
Fun fact about Magellanic penguins: The birds were discovered by Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese adventurer, during his travels in 1520.
6. MALABAR TROGON
Scientific name: Harpactes fasciatus
Lives in: Sri Lanka, India
With its distinct hues, the Malabar trogon is stunning. The beak and surrounding area of both sexes are blue. Males have a red underbelly and a black head with a white necklace. Females are mostly brown and orange in color, with the exception of black and red. They carve a hole out of rotting wood with their bills instead of building a nest from sticks.
Fun fact about Malabar trogons: The sound of an alarm call made by these birds might be characterized as a churrrr. During roosting, they will produce a similar noise.
7. MOURNING DOVE
Scientific name: Zenaida macroura
Lives in: southern Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America, pockets of northern Europe
Doves are a common sight in backyards, and they often sit perched on telephone wires or in groups in trees. They are approximately the size of a robin. The mourning doves have a light peachy color below and pink legs. They are mostly gray with black markings on top. While they prefer to stay on the ground and rummage through the seed that has fallen, they are quite fond of backyard bird feeders.
Fun fact about mourning doves: Their moniker comes from a perched male’s “coo-oo” cry, which many people believe sounds melancholy or wistful.
8. MASKED CRIMSON TANAGER
Scientific name: Ramphocelus nigrogularis
Lives in: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Cooperative breeding is a characteristic of these birds. As a result, the entire flock looks after and protects one another’s offspring. Fruit and tiny insects make up the majority of their diet. The gorgeous crimson color that covers the majority of their bodies gave them their name.
Fun fact about masked crimson tanagers: Johan Baptist von Spix, a German scientist, was the first to identify this species in 1825.
9. MASKED FLOWERPIERCER
Scientific name: Diglossa cyanea
Lives in: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
With a black mask and crimson red eyes, the Masked flowerpiercer is distinguished by a stunning deep ultramarine blue. Their name comes from the fact that they use their razor-sharp beak hook to cut flowers at the base in order to get to the sweet stuff inside.
Fun fact about masked flowerpiercers: Different notes are sung by birds in different parts of South America, suggesting various species or subspecies.
10. MASKED TROGON
Scientific name: Trogon personatus
Lives in: South America
The Masked trogon’s nests are found in rotting vertical tree trunks, where they eat insects and fruits. They excavate and construct their nests, making holes. There are eight sub-species of the Masked trogon. In humid highland woods, this bird is quite common. They may grow to be 11 inches long and 2 ounces in weight.
Fun fact about masked trogons: Males have red eye rings that are visible, while women have white eye rings that are partial.
11. MERLIN
Scientific name: Falco columbarius
Lives in: North America, Eurasia
Merlin Falcons are falcons that are smaller than most hawks and belong to the Merlin family. The Pigeon Hawk was the previous name for the Merlin in North America. With a 27 inch wingspan, they are typically 13 inches long. Males and females are of comparable height, measuring 6 inches and 11 inches, respectively. Merlin don’t create their own nests, but rather usurp the nests of other raptors or big birds like crows and magpies.
Fun fact about merlins: Merlin’s are exceptional hunters who ambush little birds with surprise strikes.
12. MALLARD
Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos
Lives in: North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Greenland, Australia and New Zealand
Mallards have a wide range across many countries and are very common. With its emerald green head and yellow beak, males are easy to spot. Females are mottled brown all over, with a white belly. They mate with other nearby duck species and produce hybrids, which may be difficult to distinguish. City parks and ponds are common places to find it.
Fun fact about mallards: Almost all domestic duck breeds are derived from mallards.
13. MEYER’S PARROT
Scientific name: Poicephalus meyeri
Lives in: sub-Saharan Africa
Meyer’s parrots have yellow shoulders and a greenish-turquoise belly with black heads and wings. Cultivated crops, seeds, fruit, nuts, and berries are among the foods they consume. They are frequently found in pairs or small flocks and may gather in huge groups at food sources. Their numbers have decreased in recent years as a result of the destruction of their woodland habitat.
Fun fact about Meyer’s parrots: Females typically incubate their offspring for 28 days, laying up to three white eggs. The fledglings leave the nest around 60 days after hatching.
14. MONK PARAKEET
Scientific name: Myiopsitta monachus
Lives in: South America
The only parrots that nest with sticks instead of holes in trees are monk parakeets. These parrots form large colonies and breed colonially. For each pair, they will create a single enormous nest with multiple entrances. Nests may grow to be up to the size of a small automobile.
Fun fact about monk parakeets: Local feral populations have been established in many other regions, including Europe, Asia, and the United States (Florida), despite their origin from South America.
15. MOUNTAIN WAGTAIL
Scientific name: Motacilla clara
Lives in: sub-Saharan Africa
Mountain wagtails prefer to reside near tiny streams and rivers. Waterfalls with flat rocks are particularly attractive to them. They may also be found in wooded areas. Flies that it forages in the sand, shallow water, and rocks make up the majority of its diet.
Fun fact about mountain wagtails: The long-tailed wagtail and grey-backed wagtail are two other names for this species.
16. MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE
Scientific name: Poecile gambeli
Lives in: western United States, southwestern Alberta, British Columbia
The black cap and black throat of chickadees make them easy to identify because of their tiny little bodies with rounded edges. Their underbodies are fluffy and light, with solid white cheeks and gray wings and backs. Only the mountain chickadee has the eye stripe above the eye, which distinguishes it from other similar-looking chickadee species. Heighty, evergreen woods are their preferred environment.
Fun fact about mountain chickadees: Chickadees will store food they find in a plentiful food supply.
17. MUTE SWAN
Scientific name: Cygnus olor
Lives in: United States, Europe, parts of Asia and Canada
With a long neck, black face mask, and orange beak, the beautiful and elegant mute swan is completely white. These are native to Europe, despite the fact that they are frequently found in parks and ponds in North America. Swans imported to North America for zoos and to “decorate” vast estates in the 1800s and early 1900s have given rise to all of the mute swans seen in North America today.
Fun fact about mute swans: Because of their reputation for virtually always mating for life, they are often regarded as symbols of love.
18. MAGNOLIA WARBLER
These beautiful warbler breed in boreal forests among dense evergreen trees. The migrate down from Canada through the U.S. to spend their winters in Mexico and Central America. Their diet consists mainly of insects that they forage from trees. Males are black and yellow with a white stripe on the wing and above the eye. Females are gray above and yellow below.
Scientific name: Setophaga magnolia
Lives in: Canada, United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
These lovely warblers prefer to live in forested areas with thick evergreen trees. From Canada, they migrate to the United States. They spend their winters in Central and South America, respectively. Insects they find in the trees are the main foods of this species. Males have a white stripe on their wing and above their eye, and are black with yellow. Above is gray, while below is yellow.
Fun fact about magnolia warblers: One is for courting and breeding, while the other is for defending territory against other males. Males sing two distinct songs.