This list includes 52 Birds that start with C, spanning from “Cackling Goose” to “Curlew Sandpiper”. They cover a wide variety of families and habitats worldwide, from wetlands to forests and urban parks. Use this list for quick reference, identification, education, and planning birdwatching trips.

Birds that start with C are species whose common English names begin with the letter C. A notable example is the “Cackling Goose”, once lumped with the Canada Goose but now recognized as a separate species.

Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, and Wingspan (cm).

Common name: The everyday English name you see in guides; use it to search, recognize, and share species quickly.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identification and links you to taxonomic and conservation information globally.

Habitat: Short habitat category tells you where the bird lives, helping you narrow observation locations and field guides.

Wingspan (cm): Typical wingspan range in centimeters helps you compare size and distinguish similar species in the field.

Birds that start with C

Common Name Scientific Name Habitat Wingspan (cm) Description
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii wetland 130-160 cm Small North American goose with a short bill and loud honk; similar to Canada Goose but smaller, found on lakes and fields.
California Condor Gymnogyps californianus montane 275-305 cm Massive black vulture with bald head; critically endangered scavenger of western North America, famous for captive-rearing recovery efforts.
Canada Goose Branta canadensis wetland 127-185 cm Large, long-necked goose with black head and white cheek patch; common in parks, lakes and urban wetlands across temperate regions.
Canvasback Aythya valisineria wetland 86-102 cm Distinctive diving duck with sloping forehead and chestnut head; breeds on northern lakes of North America and winters in coastal bays.
Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina forest 22-25 cm Small, colorful warbler of North America with streaked flanks and thin bill; favors coniferous forest during breeding season.
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus scrub 18-25 cm Bold, loud songster with cinnamon plumage and upright tail; common in gardens, woodlands and brushy habitats of eastern North America.
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita forest 20-22 cm Tiny plain warbler named for its “chiff-chaff” song; widespread migrant across Europe and Asia in woodlands and scrub.
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus forest 55-60 cm Medium gray cuckoo with barred underparts; a brood parasite famous for laying eggs in other birds’ nests across Eurasia.
Common Gull Larus canus coastal 110-130 cm Medium-sized, approachable gull of northern coasts and inland waters with a mild appearance and varied plumage across seasons.
Common Redshank Tringa totanus wetland 60-67 cm Wading shorebird with bright red legs and loud calls; frequents mudflats, estuaries and marshes across Eurasia.
Common Swift Apus apus urban 40-44 cm Almost always airborne with sickle-shaped wings and fast flight; nests on buildings across Europe and Africa during summer.
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis wetland 24-26 cm Flashy blue-and-orange river kingfisher of Eurasia; perches over water to dive for fish from a rapid, direct flight.
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos wetland 34-38 cm Plain, active wader with characteristic teetering walk along shores and riverbanks; migratory across Europe and Asia.
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo grassland 110-130 cm Variable brown-bodied raptor often seen soaring over open countryside in Europe; patient hunter from perches.
Common Coot Fulica atra wetland 60-80 cm Dark freshwater bird with a white frontal shield and lobed toes; often abundant on lakes and ponds.
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra forest 24-30 cm Conifer specialist with crossed bill used to extract seeds from cones; prone to irruptive movements with cone crops.
Christmas Island Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi coastal 205-230 cm Large black frigatebird breeding on Christmas Island; long wings and forked tail, known for aerial piracy and endangered status.
Corncrake Crex crex grassland 62-72 cm Secretive rail of Eurasian meadows with rasping “crex” call; typically elusive and hidden in tall grass.
Common Crane Grus grus wetland 200-230 cm Tall, long-necked migratory crane with trumpeting calls; breeds in wetlands and marshes across Eurasia and migrates in large flocks.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis grassland 88-96 cm Small white heron that often follows livestock to catch stirring insects; has rapidly expanded its global range.
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola wetland 22-26 cm Bright yellow-bellied wagtail of Eurasian marshes; active tail-bobbing and distinct yellow plumage in males.
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum forest 28-34 cm Sleek-crested North American bird with silky plumage and red waxy wing tips; frugivorous and often seen in flocks.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens forest 18-22 cm Small Pacific-coast chickadee with chestnut flanks and black cap; common in coniferous forests and gardens.
Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis forest 16-20 cm Tiny, sociable tit of southeastern North America with a clear two-note song; common in woodlands and backyards.
Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii forest 62-85 cm Agile woodland raptor of North America with long tail and rounded wings, specializes in hunting other birds.
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus grassland 70-90 cm Colorful gamebird introduced worldwide; males have long tails and showy plumage, often found in farmland and scrub.
Common Whitethroat Curruca communis scrub 20-24 cm Small migratory warbler with grey head and white throat; breeds across Europe in scrubby, open habitats.
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea wetland 35-40 cm Migratory sandpiper with long, downcurved bill and rusty breeding plumage; breeds in Arctic tundra and winters on tropical mudflats.
Common Loon Gavia immer coastal 127-147 cm Iconic diving bird of northern lakes with striking black-and-white breeding plumage and eerie, far-carrying calls.
Common Raven Corvus corax montane 115-150 cm Large, glossy black corvid with powerful bill and notable intelligence, found in wild and human-altered landscapes across the Northern Hemisphere.
Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea forest 20-25 cm Tiny streaked finch with a red forehead and small conical bill; breeds in tundra and boreal regions and often irrupts south in winter.
Common Murre Uria aalge coastal 63-73 cm Black-and-white seabird that nests in dense cliff colonies and dives deeply to pursue fish in northern oceans.
Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus urban 68-84 cm Large pigeon of Europe with white neck patches; ubiquitous in parks, woodlands and towns.
Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis wetland 120-140 cm Pale pink flamingo of South America with long legs and curved bill, feeding in saline lakes and lagoons.
Common Eider Somateria mollissima coastal 85-110 cm Heavy sea-duck with thick insulating down used by nesting females; common along cold northern coasts.
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans forest 40-50 cm Bright Australian parrot with crimson and blue plumage; common in woodlands, parks and gardens.
California Quail Callipepla californica scrub 40-50 cm Plump ground-dwelling quail with topknot plume and distinctive call; common in western North American scrub and gardens.
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula wetland 75-93 cm Diving duck with round white cheek patch and rapid wingbeat; winters on open fresh and coastal waters.
Cape Petrel Daption capense coastal 80-90 cm Striking black-and-white seabird of the Southern Ocean, often seen near ice and ships in large flocks.
Cook’s Petrel Pterodroma cookii coastal 75-90 cm Small pelagic petrel of the Pacific known for long migrations and offshore life, named after Captain Cook.
Common Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus forest 16-18 cm Tiny crested passerine with orange crown stripe and bold facial pattern; lively resident of European woodlands.
Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus desert 30-35 cm Largest North American wren with streaked brown plumage and bold white eyebrow; nests in cactus and scrub deserts.
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia coastal 125-140 cm World’s largest tern with a heavy red bill and loud voice; breeds on coasts and large inland lakes worldwide.
Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera wetland 58-66 cm Small dabbling duck with cinnamon-red male plumage in breeding season; common in American marshes and ponds.
Clark’s Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana montane 53-62 cm Gray corvid with stout bill that caches thousands of pine seeds, vital for high-elevation conifer regeneration.
Clark’s Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii wetland 120-150 cm Elegant black-and-white grebe with yellow bill and dramatic running courtship displays on western North American lakes.
Common Puffin Fratercula arctica coastal 50-60 cm Stocky seabird with colorful bill in breeding season; nests in burrows on North Atlantic cliffs and islands.
Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus wetland 40-45 cm Tiny dabbling duck of South and Southeast Asia with rounded head and distinctive patterned plumage on small freshwater bodies.
Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus forest 20-24 cm Small European tit with a peaked crest and bold black-and-white head pattern; common in mature coniferous forests.
Crested Auklet Aethia cristatella coastal 45-55 cm Small, social seabird of North Pacific with a distinctive plumage crest and citrus-like odor, nests in dense cliff colonies.
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula wetland 35-40 cm Small plover with black breast band and short bill; found on sandy shores, mudflats and tidal flats across Eurasia.
Cuban Trogon Priotelus temnurus forest 34-38 cm National bird of Cuba with vivid green and red plumage and a broad bill; inhabits forests and woodlands.

Descriptions

Cackling Goose
California Condor
Canada Goose
Canvasback
Cape May Warbler
Carolina Wren
Common Chiffchaff
Common Cuckoo
Common Gull
Common Redshank
Common Swift
Common Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Common Buzzard
Common Coot
Common Crossbill
Christmas Island Frigatebird
Corncrake
Common Crane
Cattle Egret
Citrine Wagtail
Cedar Waxwing
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Carolina Chickadee
Cooper’s Hawk
Common Pheasant
Common Whitethroat
Curlew Sandpiper
Common Loon
Common Raven
Common Redpoll
Common Murre
Common Wood-Pigeon
Chilean Flamingo
Common Eider
Crimson Rosella
California Quail
Common Goldeneye
Cape Petrel
Cook’s Petrel
Common Firecrest
Cactus Wren
Caspian Tern
Cinnamon Teal
Clark’s Nutcracker
Clark’s Grebe
Common Puffin
Cotton Pygmy-goose
Crested Tit
Crested Auklet
Common Ringed Plover
Cuban Trogon
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.