Here you’ll find 45 Birds that start with K that begin with K, organized from “Kagu” to “Kuhl’s Lorikeet”. They include island endemics, forest and coastal species, plus colorful parrots and nectar-feeding lorikeets.
Birds that start with K are English-named species whose common names begin with the letter “K”. The Kagu, a New Caledonia endemic, became a conservation symbol for island biodiversity recovery.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Wingspan (cm), and Distribution.
Common name: The widely used English name helps you quickly identify and cross-reference species in field guides and lists.
Scientific name: The accepted binomial gives precise taxonomic identity, so you can match species across databases.
Habitat: A concise habitat category shows where you can expect to find the species in the wild.
Wingspan (cm): Wingspan given in centimetres helps you judge size and compare flight-related traits between species.
Distribution: Brief range notes help you understand geographic occurrence and where to search for the species.
Birds that start with K
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat | Wingspan (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kagu | Rhynochetos jubatus | Montane forest floor | 70–80 |
| Kaka | Nestor meridionalis | Native forests of New Zealand | 85–95 |
| Kelp Gull | Larus dominicanus | Coastal shores, estuaries, islands, inland lakes | 128–142 |
| Kentish Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | Sandy coasts, salt pans, and alkaline lakes | 42–45 |
| Kestrel, American | Falco sparverius | Open country, grasslands, parks, urban areas | 51–61 |
| Kestrel, Australian | Falco cenchroides | Open country, grasslands, agricultural lands | 66–78 |
| Kestrel, Common | Falco tinnunculus | Open country, farmland, heathland, cliffs, urban areas | 65–82 |
| Kestrel, Fox | Falco alopex | Rocky hills, cliffs, and savanna in sub-Saharan Africa | 85–95 |
| Kestrel, Greater | Falco rupicoloides | Open arid grasslands, savannas, and agricultural land | 86–92 |
| Kestrel, Lesser | Falco naumanni | Open grasslands, steppes, agricultural areas | 58–72 |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Open country, fields, mudflats, gravel areas | 46–48 |
| King Eider | Somateria spectabilis | Arctic coasts and tundra for breeding, marine waters in winter | 86–102 |
| King Quail | Synoicus chinensis | Grasslands, scrub, and agricultural fields | 15–18 |
| King Vulture | Sarcoramphus papa | Tropical lowland forests | 170–198 |
| King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise | Pteridophora alberti | Montane forests of New Guinea | 45–50 |
| Kingbird, Eastern | Tyrannus tyrannus | Open country, woodland edges, orchards, near water | 33–38 |
| Kingbird, Western | Tyrannus verticalis | Open habitats in western North America | 38–41 |
| Kingfisher, Amazon | Chloroceryle amazona | Tropical lowland rivers, lakes, and marshes | 40–43 |
| Kingfisher, Belted | Megaceryle alcyon | Rivers, lakes, and coastal estuaries | 48–58 |
| Kingfisher, Common | Alcedo atthis | Slow-moving rivers, lakes, ponds with clear water | 25 |
| Kingfisher, Green | Chloroceryle americana | Wooded streams, rivers, and ponds | 20–23 |
| Kingfisher, Pied | Ceryle rudis | Lakes, rivers, and estuaries across Africa and Asia | 40–43 |
| Kingfisher, Ringed | Megaceryle torquata | Rivers, lakes, and coastal estuaries | 61–66 |
| Kinglet, Golden-crowned | Regulus satrapa | Coniferous forests, mixed woodlands | 16–18 |
| Kinglet, Ruby-crowned | Corthylio calendula | Coniferous and mixed forests, thickets | 16–18 |
| Kirtland’s Warbler | Setophaga kirtlandii | Young jack pine forests for breeding, Caribbean scrub in winter | 20–22 |
| Kite, Black | Milvus migrans | Open woodlands, wetlands, savannas, often near human settlements | 140–155 |
| Kite, Black-shouldered | Elanus axillaris | Open grasslands and agricultural areas | 80–100 |
| Kite, Brahminy | Haliastur indus | Coastal wetlands, estuaries, and mangroves | 109–124 |
| Kite, Red | Milvus milvus | Woodlands, farmland, and open country | 175–195 |
| Kite, Snail | Rostrhamus sociabilis | Freshwater wetlands and marshes | 99–105 |
| Kite, Swallow-tailed | Elanoides forficatus | Wooded wetlands and forests | 112–136 |
| Kite, White-tailed | Elanus leucurus | Open grasslands, savannas, and marshes | 100–105 |
| Kittiwake, Black-legged | Rissa tridactyla | Coastal cliffs for breeding, open ocean otherwise | 90–107 |
| Kittiwake, Red-legged | Rissa brevirostris | Remote volcanic island cliffs in the Bering Sea | 84–90 |
| Knob-billed Duck | Sarkidiornis melanotos | Freshwater wetlands, marshes, and lakes | 116–145 |
| Knot, Great | Calidris tenuirostris | Arctic tundra for breeding, coastal mudflats in winter | 55–60 |
| Knot, Red | Calidris canutus | Arctic tundra for breeding, coastal mudflats and beaches for migration/winter | 50–58 |
| Knysna Turaco | Tauraco corythaix | Evergreen forests in southern and eastern Africa | 85–95 |
| Knysna Warbler | Bradypterus sylvaticus | Dense thickets in forest undergrowth in South Africa | 16–19 |
| Knysna Woodpecker | Campethera notata | Coastal evergreen forests in South Africa | 32–35 |
| Koel, Asian | Eudynamys scolopaceus | Woodlands, gardens, and urban areas | 60–65 |
| Kokako, North Island | Callaeas wilsoni | Native tall forests of New Zealand’s North Island | 55–60 |
| Kori Bustard | Ardeotis kori | Open grasslands and lightly wooded savanna | 230–275 |
| Kuhl’s Lorikeet | Vini kuhlii | Wooded areas and coconut plantations on Pacific islands | 40–45 |
Descriptions
Kagu
A near-flightless bird endemic to New Caledonia. It is known for its unique nasal corns, ghostly pale plumage, and haunting calls.
Kaka
A large, intelligent parrot from New Zealand’s forests. Known for its sociable nature, raucous calls, and playful personality.
Kelp Gull
A large, widespread gull of the Southern Hemisphere. A highly adaptable omnivore and scavenger found along coastlines and in urban areas.
Kentish Plover
A small, pale wader found in coastal and inland saline wetlands across the Old World. Known for its fast running gait.
Kestrel, American
North America’s smallest and most colorful falcon. Often seen hovering over fields or perched on wires, hunting insects and small mammals.
Kestrel, Australian
A small falcon found throughout Australia, often seen hovering skillfully while hunting insects, reptiles, and small mammals in open areas.
Kestrel, Common
A widespread falcon across Europe, Asia, and Africa, famous for its characteristic hovering hunting technique.
Kestrel, Fox
A large, dark rufous kestrel of arid African regions. It nests on cliffs and hunts insects, lizards, and small mammals.
Kestrel, Greater
A large kestrel of eastern and southern Africa. It is a powerful hunter, preying on small mammals, reptiles, and large insects.
Kestrel, Lesser
A small, sociable falcon that breeds from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. It nests colonially in buildings, cliffs, and tree holes.
Killdeer
A noisy North American plover known for its loud, piercing call and a “broken-wing” display to lure predators from its nest.
King Eider
A large, spectacular sea duck of the Arctic. Males are unmistakable with their multi-colored head and prominent orange frontal shield.
King Quail
A tiny Old World quail, also known as the Blue-breasted Quail. Popular in aviculture, it’s found from Asia to Australia.
King Vulture
A large, strikingly colored vulture from Central and South America. Its bald head displays vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and red.
King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise
A remarkable bird from New Guinea, famed for the male’s two extraordinarily long, enamel-blue head plumes that he can raise and wave.
Kingbird, Eastern
A feisty North American flycatcher, aggressively defending its territory even from much larger birds like hawks and crows.
Kingbird, Western
A common flycatcher of western North America, recognized by its yellow belly and gray head. Known for its acrobatic flight.
Kingfisher, Amazon
A large, common kingfisher found along waterways throughout the lowlands of the American tropics. Often seen perched conspicuously on branches.
Kingfisher, Belted
A large, stocky kingfisher of North America. It has a shaggy crest and can be heard giving a loud, rattling call as it flies over water.
Kingfisher, Common
A small, brilliantly colored bird found across Eurasia and North Africa. Dives for fish from a perch, a flash of iridescent blue.
Kingfisher, Green
A small kingfisher of the Americas, from Texas to Argentina. Often seen perched on low branches over water before diving for small fish.
Kingfisher, Pied
A distinctive black-and-white kingfisher, often seen hovering over water before plunging down to catch fish. Highly social.
Kingfisher, Ringed
The largest kingfisher in the Americas. A powerful, crested bird with a rattling call, found from Texas to Tierra del Fuego.
Kinglet, Golden-crowned
A tiny, hyperactive North American songbird with a brilliant yellow-orange crown patch. Flits through high branches searching for insects.
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned
A tiny, plain North American songbird. The male’s brilliant ruby crown is often concealed, flashed only when excited or agitated.
Kirtland’s Warbler
A rare North American songbird that breeds almost exclusively in young jack pine forests in Michigan. A major conservation success story.
Kite, Black
One of the world’s most abundant raptors. A graceful scavenger and predator found across Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
Kite, Black-shouldered
A small, graceful raptor found throughout Australia. It is known for its ability to hover motionless over fields while hunting for mice.
Kite, Brahminy
A striking medium-sized raptor of coastal southern Asia and Australia, with a white head and breast contrasting with its chestnut body.
Kite, Red
A large, elegant raptor with a deeply forked tail, native to Europe and northwest Africa. A successful reintroduction has boosted its numbers.
Kite, Snail
A specialized raptor of American wetlands, feeding almost exclusively on apple snails, which it extracts with its slender, hooked bill.
Kite, Swallow-tailed
An exceptionally graceful raptor of the Americas, known for its deeply forked tail and buoyant, acrobatic flight while hunting.
Kite, White-tailed
A graceful, gull-like raptor of the Americas, often seen hovering over open fields hunting for rodents.
Kittiwake, Black-legged
A graceful, cliff-nesting gull of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Its name is an onomatopoeia of its “kitti-wa-ak” call.
Kittiwake, Red-legged
A rare gull with a very limited breeding range in the Bering Sea. Distinguished from its relative by its shorter bill and bright red legs.
Knob-billed Duck
A unique duck found in the tropics of South America, Africa, and Asia. Males have a large, fleshy black knob on their bill.
Knot, Great
A large, robust sandpiper that breeds in Siberia and winters in coastal areas from Asia to Australia.
Knot, Red
A robust shorebird famous for its epic migrations, some traveling over 15,000 km from the Arctic to South America.
Knysna Turaco
A colorful bird of South African forests, notable for its bright green plumage and striking red flight feathers.
Knysna Warbler
A shy and elusive songbird endemic to the coastal forests of South Africa. It is a vulnerable species due to habitat loss.
Knysna Woodpecker
A small woodpecker endemic to a narrow coastal strip of South Africa. It is threatened by habitat fragmentation.
Koel, Asian
A large cuckoo found across Asia and Australia. Known for its persistent, loud calls and for being a brood parasite, laying eggs in crows’ nests.
Kokako, North Island
An endangered New Zealand wattlebird with a haunting, organ-like song. It is a poor flier, preferring to leap and glide through the forest.
Kori Bustard
Potentially the world’s heaviest flying bird, native to Africa. Males perform impressive courtship displays, inflating their necks and fanning their tails.
Kuhl’s Lorikeet
A brightly colored parrot found on a few remote islands in the Pacific. It is endangered due to predation by invasive species.