There are approximately 10,000 species of birds in the world. It would be great to see them all, but most of us will never have the time, budget, skills or luck to do it. Still, there are some birds that are worth a little bit of effort to see firsthand. This is our birding bucket list.
Whittling down 10,000 birds to just 10 "must-see" birds was no easy task, so we want to know: What one bird do you want to see in your lifetime? Post a comment below!
Kirtland's Warbler
Why It Made the List: The Kirtland's warbler was close to extinction just 50 years ago. Its scarcity is due in part to its incredibly restrictive breeding habitat requirements: It breeds only in dense stands of five- to 20-year-old jack pine trees. Plus, they are kind of adorable.
Above: Male Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii). Photo © Dominic Sherony/Flickr via a Creative Commons license
Notes:
Where to See It:
The warblers arrive to small areas of Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario to breed in May. In the fall, they return to the Bahamas. The bird, which is notoriously hard to spot in the Bahamas, was recently seen by Conservancy scientist Leno Davis at the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, where the Conservancy supports the park's full-time staff and volunteers.
How We're Helping:
In 1957, action was taken to protect its breeding habitat in Michigan, with more than 125,000 acres now set aside for the bird, and a partnership of U.S. and Bahamian agencies, including The Nature Conservancy, is protecting its winter range. Starting in 1998, the Conservancy's Kirtland's Warbler Research and Training Program had been teaching Bahamian students field sampling techniques to document the wintering population of the extremely rare Kirtland's warbler. Learn More
Atlantic Puffin
Why It Made the List: With it's round, black and white body and brightly colored legs and bill, the Atlantic puffin — and its close cousins the Horned and Tufted puffins — are seriously cute birds. Their clumsy flying techniques — with wings that make them great flyers underwater — only add to their cute quotient.
Notes:
Where to See It:
The Atlantic puffin is found on both sides of the north Atlantic Ocean, from Maine to northern Canada and Greenland on the west side, and to Iceland, the United Kingdom, and northwest France on the east side. . In Maine, puffins have been spotted on several islands in the Gulf of Maine that the Conservancy has helped protect, but your best chance for a sighting is a guided kayak trip or boat tour.
Above: Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) at Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Photo © USFW Northeast Region/Flickr via a Creative Commons license
How We're Helping:
A healthy marine ecosystem is essential for puffins, which feed mainly on small fish, crustaceans and mollusks. However, the Gulf of Maine is showing signs of distress. That is why the Conservancy is working on a number of restoration efforts, including reinvigorating migratory fish populations, revitalizing coastal habitats and adapting to climate change. Learn More
Secretary Bird
Why It Made the List: With an eagle-like head and crane-like legs, the Secretary bird looks like it stepped off the set of Jurassic Park. In 1935, it is placed in its own family — Sagittariidae — making it distinct from all other birds of prey. Secretary birds are admired in Africa for eating snakes, mice and other pests, but like many other birds it faces threats
Notes:
Where to See It:
Secretary birds can be found in the open grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa, including the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, Kafue National Park in Zambia and Maasai Mara National Reserve in Tanzania.
Below: Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) photographed at Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Photo © Robert Granzow
How We're Helping:
In 1957, action was taken to protect its breeding habitat in Michigan, with more than 125,000 acres now set aside for the bird, and a partnership of U.S. and Bahamian agencies, including The Nature Conservancy, is protecting its winter range. Starting in 1998, the Conservancy's Kirtland's Warbler Research and Training Program had been teaching Bahamian students field sampling techniques to document the wintering population of the extremely rare Kirtland's warbler. Learn More
Island Scrub-Jay
Why It Made the List: Island scrub jays are endemic to Santa Cruz Island, making them one of the rarest birds in North America. Jays play a key role in helping restore native vegetation on the island because they cache seeds of oak and pine trees far from where they collect them, some which later germinate and grow into trees and shrubs.
Above: Island Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma insularis) on Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands located off the coast of southern California. Photo © Stephen Francis
Notes:
Where to See It:
The only place to see these birds is on Santa Cruz Island, about 25 miles off the coast of California. The Nature Conservancy owns 76 percent of Santa Cruz Island and manages it in close collaboration with the National Park Service. Learn how to visit here.
How We're Helping:
The Nature Conservancy is now in its fourth decade of working to restore Santa Cruz Island. In addition to removing invasive species to improve habitat for jays and other native species, scientists have initiated a program to vaccinate jays against West Nile Virus, a disease that is often lethal for birds like jays. Learn More
Andean Condor
Why It Made the List: Talk about a big bird — the Andean Condor has a wingspan of up to 10 and a half feet and can weigh more than 30 pounds! Condors are considered a symbol of power and health in many Andean cultures and are the national symbol of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Now, they are considered near-threatened by the IUCN due to habitat loss and reduced food sources.
Notes:
Where to See It:
The Andean Condor can be seen all along the Andes mountains — from Venezuela to western Argentina. One great spot is the Condor Bioreserve east of Quito, Ecuador, that includes seven protected areas: Sumaco Napo-Galeras, Cotopaxi, and Llanganates National Parks; Cofan-Bermejo, Cayambe-Coca Reserves and Antisana Reserves; and Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge.
Above: Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) in flight.
Photo © Matthew Goulding
How We're Helping:
The Nature Conservancy has been working in the Condor Bioreserve — a 5.4 million-acre mosaic of public protected areas, farms, ranches, and indigenous territories — with USAID and local partners for more than 10 years. Conservation efforts include supporting park guards, working with landowners and supporting indigenous people. Learn More
Whooping Crane
Why It Made the List: Between 1850 and 1941, the whooping crane population dropped from an estimated 1,500 birds to a low of around 20. Today, thanks to cooperative, international conservation efforts, more than 415 individuals thrive in North America in the wild. And it's fun to see a bird that stands as tall as a person, at about 5 feet.
Notes:
Where to See It:
There are three main populations of wild whooping cranes in North America. The only native population migrates each year from its nesting grounds at in Canada’s boreal forest to winter havens on the central coast of Texas, with stopover sites on prairies and wetlands such as the Platte River in Nebraska and Cheyenne Bottoms in Kansas. Find out where you can see the other two flocks here.
Below: Whooping Crane (Grus americana) at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Photo © Larry Johnson
How We're Helping:
The Conservancy protects vital habitat for this endangered species all across its migration route, from Canada to Kansas to Texas. Most recently, The Nature Conservancy of Texas protected 2,162 acres in partnership with a private ranch. The newly protected habitat lies within Welder Flats, where a significant number of whooping cranes are known to winter. Learn More
Toco Toucan
Why It Made the List: It doesn't get much better than seeing a toucan perched on an open branch or flying overhead.
With its bright beak and seemingly blue eyes, the toco toucan is a stunner!
Above: Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) photographed in Brazil. Photo © Sam Beddoes
Notes:
Where to See It:
The toco toucan can be seen throughout much of Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Paraguay. Unlike many other toucan species, the toco toucan is easy to spot in semi-open habitats such as woodlands and forest edges.
How We're Helping:
The Conservancy works across Brazil to protect toucan habitat in places like the Amazon basin, the Cerrado and the Caatinga. In the Cerrado, the Conservancy has been working on the allocation of private land set-asides for biodiversity corridors, satellite mapping technology and the promotion of best agricultural management practices. Learn More
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
Why It Made the List: This endangered species lives only in mature pine forests in the American southeast. It excavates nesting holes in living pines with red heart disease, a fungus that affects the tree's heartwood. The specificity of the bird's breeding habitat makes it extremely vulnerable to habitat loss. It's also a keystone species in the southern pine forest ecosystem — a total of 27 other species have been documented using their tree cavities, including snakes and raccoons.
Notes:
Where to See It:
These woodpeckers have a range from Virginia and the Carolinas to Georgia and Florida, and as far west as eastern Texas. But you can be almost guaranteed to catch a glimpse at Virginia’s Piney Grove Preserve or at Florida’s Disney Wilderness Preserve.
Above: A red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) at the restored longleaf pine forest in The Nature Conservancy's Disney Wilderness Preserve, Florida. Photo © Carlton Ward, Jr.
How We're Helping:
These woodpeckers depend on the longleaf pine savannah, a forest type that exists today in less than 3 percent of its historic range. The Conservancy is working across seven states in partnership with many agencies and organizations to protect, restore and expand the longleaf pine forests. The Conservancy is also working to establish breeding pairs in Virginia and Florida.
Learn More
Lesser Bird-of-Paradise
Why It Made the List: A birding bucket list wouldn't be complete without a bird-of-paradise. Their striking colors, elaborate mating dances and poses and hard-to-reach habitat make them both dramatic and mysterious.
Notes:
Where to See It:
The lesser bird-of-paradise can be found in the forests of northern Papua New Guinea, including in Madang Province’s Adelbert Mountains.
Below: Lesser Bird-of-Paradise (Paradisaea minor). Photo © Tim Layman
How We're Helping:
The Conservancy works closely with communities in the Adelbert Mountains to protect their natural resources, including vital habitat for birds-of-paradise. In 2007, the Conservancy helped four villages obtain rainwater collection tanks and assisted them in developing conservation plans for nearby resources; and in 2011, the Conservancy assisted the Adelbert Conservation Cooperative Society produce the country’s first Fair Trade-certified cocoa.
Blue-Footed Booby
Why It Made the List: The blue-footed booby’s bright blue feet make it instantly recognizable. But it’s the bird’s comical mating ritual, which involves “skypointing” while lifting one foot at a time, that makes it completely endearing. Nature.org reader Lisa Fitzpatrick writes, "I love the pictures of them stretching their necks, beaks pointing to the sky that match their beautiful feet."
Above: Blue-footed booby in South America. Photo © C.J. Crowley
Notes:
Where to See It:
Blue-footed boobies are strictly marine birds, but breed on Pacific islands from the Gulf of California to Peru. The largest breeding population exists on the Galapagos Islands.
How We're Helping:
While the blue-footed booby is not considered threatened, it faces increasing threats to its key breeding habitat through increased tourism, unsustainable fishing and pollution. The Conservancy has supported conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands for three decades, including eradicating invasive species, strengthening marine protected areas and supporting local leaders.
