The Complete Guide to Types of White Birds
There are many white birds in the world, from seagulls to swans. Each class has unique characteristics.
This article will guide you through the different types of white birds.
Types of White Birds in the World
The term ‘white bird’ is often used to describe a type of bird that has white feathers. White birds can be found worldwide and in many different kinds of environments. However, there are some types of white birds that are more common than others.
1- White Ibis
Scientific name: Eudocimus albus
The white ibis is a coastal bird that lives in the southeastern United States. They are found in salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, and occasionally in mangroves. They have black legs and feet, contrasting with their mainly white plumage.
The white ibis has a long, thin bill that helps them catch prey from the water’s surface or the ground. The adult ibises are about 40-45 centimeters (16-18 inches) long and weigh around 1 kilogram (2 pounds).
2- Ivory Gull
Scientific name: Pagophila eburnea
Ivory gulls are a type of seagull that inhabit the coastlines of the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans. They are usually found in coastal areas and have been known to migrate to inland areas during winter. They can be seen in Asia and Japan, but they are not present in any other part of the world.
They have a white head and neck with grayish wings, back, and tail. Their underparts are also white, with black on their upper breast. The bill is yellow with a red spot on top near the tip. Their legs are pinkish-red with black feet.
3- The Snowy Owl
Scientific name: Bubo scandiacus
The snowy owl is a white bird most commonly found in the Arctic region, including in countries such as Canada, Greenland, and Russia. They are often hunted for their fur, which is used to make coats and hats.
4- Elegant Tern
Scientific name: Thalasseus elegans
The Elegant Tern is a bird found in the eastern and southeastern parts of the United States. The bird’s plumage is primarily black, with a white stripe on its neck and white underparts.
5- The Snowy Egret
Scientific name: Egretta thula
The Snowy Egret is a white heron with black legs and a bill. They are native to North America and are found in coastal regions.
Snowy egrets are about 45-50 cm long and have a wingspan of about 75 cm. They have long necks, which they use to spear fish.
They eat fish, frogs, crustaceans, waterfowl eggs, and small mammals.
Snowy Egrets nest in colonies near water bodies with tall trees nearby for roosting at night or when the weather is terrible.
The female lays 2-3 eggs per clutch and incubates them for 24-28 days until they hatch.
6- Tundra Swan
Scientific name: Cynus columbianus
Tundra Swan is a bird that lives in the tundra. It is characterized by its large size and long, thick neck. Tundra Swans can be found in many colors, most commonly white. Tundra Swan is also well known for its mating call.
This call can be heard from miles away and is used to attract mates or warn off other birds. The Tundra Swan belongs to the subfamily Cygninae of the Anatidae family. The two subfamilies are the actual swans and geese.
7- Royal Tern
Scientific name: Thalasseus Maximus
The royal tern is a migratory bird that breeds on the coasts of North America, South America, and Africa. They are known as solid flyers and can travel up to 10,000 miles during one migration.
Royal terns are medium-sized birds with a wingspan of about 2 feet. They have black upper parts and white underparts with a brown neckband. The head is black with a white forehead, and the bill is orangey-red.
8- Cattle Egret
Scientific name: Bulbulcus ibis
The cattle egret is a medium-sized heron in the genus Bubulcus. Linnaeus first described it in 1758. Cattle egrets are a common sight on cattle farms, where they feed primarily on insects and other small invertebrates found among the dung and on the wet ground around cattle.
They have also been seen feeding on small fish that live in shallow water near the shoreline of lakes or ponds. This bird is not native to North America, but it has been introduced to many areas of the continent for its ability to control insect populations, especially mosquitoes. It is now found as far north as southern Canada and south into central Mexico.
The cattle egret’s breeding habitat is tropical savanna, open and semi-open wetland. Its breeding range extends from southeastern Brazil to north-central Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago. In the winter, this species migrates to the southern United States, Central America, and northern South America in search of food and to escape from cold weather.
The cattle egret is a medium-sized heron with a white neck and breast, black back and wings, long yellow legs, and an orange bill with a blue gape. The male has glossy green plumage except for shiny black feathers on his head. Juveniles are similar to adults but have brownish backs and bright yellow legs.
9- The Great White Pelican
Scientific name: Pelecanus onocrotalus
This white bird lives in Europe and Africa but is most commonly found along the coasts and islands of southern Brazil. They can also be found at both the northern and southern ends of South America.
10- Rock Ptarmigan
Scientific name: Lagopus muta
Rock Ptarmigan is a beautiful bird. It has black and white plumage. Rock Ptarmigan is an endangered species.
11- Snow Bunting
Scientific name: Plectrophenax nivalis
The snow buntings are a group of small birds in the genus Plectrophenax. They are related to the North American sparrows and are sometimes called “sparrows of the snow.” Snow buntings were first described in 1837 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte.
Snow buntings are tiny birds with compact bodies, long tails, short wings, and pointed bills. They are 17 cm long and weigh around 38 to 50 grams. Their wingspan is about 23 to 27 cm. This was after they had been collected in Greenland by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard.
They have black plumage with white patches on the wings and back. The bills and legs are black, but the irises of their eyes vary from brown to green in breeding males during the breeding season; they may have orange irises in winter.
12- The Great White Egret
Scientific name: Ardea alba
This type of white bird lives in Europe, Africa, and Asia. They are commonly mistaken for the Great White Pelican but have longer wings that make the egret easier to identify.
The Great Egret is a large, elegant bird with white plumage and black legs. They are native to the Americas but can be found as far north as Alaska and south as Argentina. It was once called the American Egret.
Great egrets are found in wetlands throughout most of their range and in some drier areas where they live near rivers or other water sources. They prefer habitats with dense vegetation for roosting and nesting. They feed primarily on fish, frogs, crustaceans, insects, and other invertebrates that can be swallowed whole.
13- The White-naped Crane
Scientific name: Antigone vipio
This white bird lives in Asia, Africa, and Europe. They are one of two crane species in the Americas, and they have a single central breeding population from which all North American cranes descend.
14- Snow Goose
Scientific name: Anser caerulescens
The snow goose is a migratory bird that breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It winters mainly in the coastal areas of southern Canada, the northern United States, and Europe, but occasionally as far south as Mexico or Bermuda.
The snow goose is improper but belongs to the same family (Anatidae) as geese and swans.
15- Whooping Crane
Scientific name: Grus americana
The Whooping Crane is a large bird that is found in North America. It has a long, slender body and long legs. It has a black head with a white crown, and its bill is primarily black. The crane’s neck is long and red-pink. The Whooping Crane lives in wetlands, grasslands, and wet meadows.
They eat insects such as dragonflies and beetles; small animals like frogs, snakes, and mice; plants such as wild rice; seeds of sedges and grasses; berries from shrubs like huckleberry or blueberry; acorns from oak trees.
16- American White Pelican
Scientific name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
The American White Pelican is a large bird found in North America. It has a large, long, curved yellow bill on the upper mandible. The American White Pelican can be found in North America and is one of the giant birds of its kind.
They have a yellow bill that curves upwards Like an ostrich and a brown head with white patches.
The American White Pelican also has a long, curved bill that curves upwards like an ostrich and can reach up to four feet in length. Their wings are short for their body size and stubby in shape, with tiny feathers on the end that help them to take off.
The American White Pelican is the only genus member with a brown head with white patches. The bill is yellow on the upper mandible, while the lower mandible is orange or green.
17- Trumpeter Swan
Scientific name: Cygnus buccinator
This white bird lives in North America and mainly inhabits wetlands such as marshes and swamps. They tend to eat plants like cattails or grasses, but it’s not uncommon for them to eat animals, especially fish or other aquatic lifeforms.
