This list includes 51 Birds that start with N, from “Black-crowned Night-Heron” to “Yellow-crowned Night-Heron”. Most are easy-to-spot wetland or forest species, useful for birdwatching, education, and quick field reference.
Birds that start with N are common and diverse species whose English names begin with the letter N. Night-herons bookend this list, highlighting nocturnal or crepuscular habits among several entries.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, and Wingspan (cm).
Common name: The everyday English name you see in the field, used by birders and guides to identify species quickly.
Scientific name: The accepted binomial gives precise species identity and helps you locate formal references and range information.
Habitat: A concise category like wetland, forest, or coastal so you know where to look for each species.
Wingspan (cm): Typical wingspan range in centimeters helps you judge size and compare similar species in the field.
Birds that start with N
| Name | Scientific name | Habitat | Wingspan (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | Woodlands, gardens, shrublands, urban areas | 25–31 |
| Northern Gannet | Morus bassanus | Coastal and marine waters, breeds on cliffs | 165–180 |
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | Open woodlands, parks, suburbs, and forest edges | 66–75 |
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | Urban areas, farmland, and open country with shrubs | 31–38 |
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | Open country, forest clearings, grasslands, and cities | 59–68 |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | Wetlands, marshes, swamps, and shorelines | 115–118 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | Deciduous and mixed forests, parks, and backyards | 20–27 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | Coniferous and mixed forests | 20–22 |
| Common Nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos | Deciduous woodland and dense scrub | 23–26 |
| Nene | Branta sandvicensis | Volcanic slopes, grasslands, and scrubland on Hawaiian islands | 106–112 |
| Northern Harrier | Circus hudsonius | Marshes, grasslands, open fields, and prairies | 97–122 |
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | Marshes, prairies, and open wetlands | 80–95 |
| Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata | Shallow freshwater marshes and wetlands | 70–84 |
| Northern Hawk-Owl | Surnia ulula | Boreal forests and open coniferous woodlands | 74–81 |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | Coniferous and mixed-deciduous forests | 41–48 |
| Nacunda Nighthawk | Chordeiles nacunda | Savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands in South America | 60–64 |
| Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis | Arid and semi-arid savanna, scrubland, and deserts | 28–33 |
| Narina Trogon | Apaloderma narina | Evergreen forests and riverine woodlands in Africa | 34 |
| Nazca Booby | Sula granti | Marine, nests on remote Pacific islands like the Galápagos | 152–165 |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Nannopterum brasilianum | Freshwater and coastal wetlands | 100 |
| New Holland Honeyeater | Phylidonyris novaehollandiae | Heathlands, woodlands, and gardens in southern Australia | 18–22 |
| Noisy Friarbird | Philemon corniculatus | Open forests and woodlands in Australia and New Guinea | 40 |
| Noisy Miner | Manorina melanocephala | Woodlands, open forests, and suburban parks in eastern Australia | 30–36 |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | Open, rocky country, tundra, and coasts | 26–32 |
| Nutcracker, Clark’s | Nucifraga columbiana | High-elevation pine forests in western North America | 61 |
| Nutcracker, Spotted | Nucifraga caryocatactes | Coniferous forests across Eurasia | 50–58 |
| Nuthatch, Eurasian | Sitta europaea | Mature deciduous or mixed forests across Europe and Asia | 22–27 |
| Nuthatch, Pygmy | Sitta pygmaea | Pine forests of western North America | 16–18 |
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Nyctanassa violacea | Coastal marshes, mangroves, and wooded swamps | 105–112 |
| Noddy, Brown | Anous stolidus | Tropical and subtropical oceans, nests on islands | 75–86 |
| Noddy, Black | Anous minutus | Tropical oceans, nests colonially in trees on islands | 58–66 |
| Nunbird, Black-fronted | Monasa nigrifrons | Humid forests and woodlands near water in South America | 30 |
| Nicator, Western | Nicator chloris | Forests, thickets, and woodlands in West and Central Africa | 21–25 |
| Niltava, Large | Niltava grandis | Montane forests in the Himalayas and Southeast Asia | 30 |
| Neddicky | Cisticola fulvicapilla | Open woodland, savanna, and grasslands in southern Africa | 13–15 |
| Needletail, White-throated | Hirundapus caudacutus | Aerial, breeds in forested mountains of Asia | 48–55 |
| Night Parrot | Pezoporus occidentalis | Arid inland grasslands and spinifex of Australia | 45 |
| Nightingale-Thrush, Orange-billed | Catharus aurantiirostris | Undergrowth of woodlands and scrub in the Americas | 20–22 |
| Nightingale-wren, Northern | Microcerculus philomela | Humid lowland forest floor in Central America | 15 |
| Noddy, Lesser | Anous tenuirostris | Tropical Indian Ocean, nests on islands | 57–63 |
| Nunlet, Rusty-breasted | Nonnula rubecula | Understory of humid forests in South America | 20 |
| Norfolk Gerygone | Gerygone modesta | Forests and woodlands on Norfolk Island | 14–16 |
| Nuthatch, Brown-headed | Sitta pusilla | Pine forests in the southeastern United States | 19–21 |
| Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet | Camptostoma imberbe | Scrub, streamside thickets, and open woods | 14–16 |
| Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | Mature coniferous and mixed forests in the Northern Hemisphere | 89–122 |
| Northern Jacana | Jacana spinosa | Freshwater marshes and ponds with floating vegetation | 28–30 |
| Northern Parula | Setophaga americana | Mature humid forests, especially with Spanish moss or lichen | 17–19 |
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | Glaucidium gnoma | Forests and woodlands in western North America | 30–32 |
| Northern Scrub-Robin | Cercotrichas coryphoeus | Arid karoo scrub and fynbos in southern Africa | 18–20 |
| Northern Waterthrush | Parkesia noveboracensis | Bogs and wooded swamps; winters in mangroves | 23–25 |
| Nuttall’s Woodpecker | Dryobates nuttallii | Oak woodlands in California | 36–41 |
Descriptions
Northern Cardinal
A familiar North American backyard bird. Males are a brilliant, unmistakable red, while females are a warm, buffy-brown with reddish accents.
Northern Gannet
A large, dramatic seabird known for spectacular plunge-dives from great heights to catch fish in the North Atlantic.
Northern Flicker
A large woodpecker that often forages on the ground for ants. Identified by the flash of yellow or red under its wings and tail in flight.
Northern Mockingbird
Famed for its ability to mimic the songs of other birds and even mechanical sounds. A slender grey bird with bold white wing patches.
Common Nighthawk
A nocturnal bird often seen at dusk, flying erratically to catch insects. Recognized by pointed wings with bold white patches under the primaries.
Black-crowned Night-Heron
A stocky, social heron, most active at dawn and dusk. Adults have a black cap and back, contrasting with pale grey wings and underparts.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Known for creeping down tree trunks head-first. A small, stocky bird with a blue-grey back, white face, and black cap.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
A small, energetic nuthatch with a blue-grey back, rusty-orange underparts, and a bold black-and-white head pattern. Gives a tinny, nasal call.
Common Nightingale
A small, plain-looking migratory bird renowned for its powerful and beautiful song, often delivered from a hidden perch at night.
Nene
The state bird of Hawaii, this goose is adapted to terrestrial life on volcanic islands, with less webbing on its feet than other geese.
Northern Harrier
A slender hawk that flies low over the ground with its wings held in a V-shape. Easily identified by a conspicuous white rump patch.
Northern Pintail
An elegant dabbling duck. The male is distinguished by his long, pointed tail feathers, a chocolate-brown head, and a crisp white neck stripe.
Northern Shoveler
Instantly recognized by its enormous, spoon-shaped bill, which it uses to filter small invertebrates from the water’s surface while swimming.
Northern Hawk-Owl
A medium-sized owl that behaves like a hawk, hunting by day from prominent perches. It has a long tail, a flat-topped head, and piercing yellow eyes.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
One of North America’s smallest and most endearing owls. Its name comes from one of its calls, which sounds like a saw being sharpened on a whetstone.
Nacunda Nighthawk
A large, robust nighthawk, notable for its white throat and belly. Often seen resting on the ground during the day, sometimes in large flocks.
Namaqua Dove
A small, long-tailed dove from Africa and Arabia. Males are distinctive with a black face, throat, and breast, contrasting with a grey head.
Narina Trogon
A stunningly beautiful and elusive bird. Males have iridescent green plumage, a bright red belly, and soft, mournful calls.
Nazca Booby
A large seabird with stark white plumage, black flight feathers, and a bright orange-yellow bill. It is a skilled plunge-diver.
Neotropic Cormorant
A slender, dark cormorant found from the southern U.S. to South America. Often seen on perches near water, holding its wings out to dry.
New Holland Honeyeater
A bold and active honeyeater with striking black, white, and yellow plumage and a small white patch around its eye.
Noisy Friarbird
A large, aggressive honeyeater easily identified by its bare black head and a prominent knob on its bill. Its calls are loud and unmusical.
Noisy Miner
A highly social and aggressive honeyeater, known for its complex social structure and for mobbing predators with a cacophony of loud calls.
Northern Wheatear
A small thrush with an incredible migration from Arctic breeding grounds to Africa. Known for its upright stance and flashing white rump.
Nutcracker, Clark’s
A member of the crow family known for its remarkable memory. It harvests and caches thousands of pine seeds each year to survive winter.
Nutcracker, Spotted
Also called Eurasian Nutcracker, this corvid specializes in harvesting seeds from pine cones, which it stores for later use, aiding forest regeneration.
Nuthatch, Eurasian
Famous for its ability to climb down tree trunks head-first. Has a blue-grey back, a black eye-stripe, and buff or white underparts.
Nuthatch, Pygmy
A tiny, highly social nuthatch that forages in chatty flocks. Known for huddling together by the dozen in tree cavities for warmth.
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Similar to its Black-crowned cousin but more reclusive. Adults have a striking black-and-white face pattern and a diet specializing in crabs.
Noddy, Brown
A dark brown tropical tern with a pale white cap. Unlike most terns, it picks food from the water’s surface rather than plunge-diving.
Noddy, Black
A slender, all-black tern with a contrasting white cap. It’s smaller and more graceful than the Brown Noddy, often forming huge colonies.
Nunbird, Black-fronted
A social puffbird with mostly black plumage, a bright orange-red bill, and a mournful, whistling call. Often seen perched in family groups.
Nicator, Western
A skulking, shrike-like bird with olive-green upperparts and yellow spots on its wings. Its loud, melodious song is a common sound in its habitat.
Niltava, Large
A stunning flycatcher. The male is a deep, iridescent blue with a lighter blue crown and shoulder patch, contrasting with a black face and throat.
Neddicky
A tiny, plain brown warbler whose presence is often given away by its monotonous, sharp “tseep” call, repeated endlessly from a low perch.
Needletail, White-throated
Considered one of the fastest birds in level flight. A large swift with a thick body, short spiny tail, and a prominent white throat patch.
Night Parrot
One of the world’s most elusive and mysterious birds. This nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrot from Australia was long thought to be extinct.
Nightingale-Thrush, Orange-billed
A rather plain thrush with olive-brown upperparts and pale underparts, distinguished by its bright orange bill, legs, and eye-ring.
Nightingale-wren, Northern
A tiny, dark brown wren that creeps mouse-like through dense undergrowth. It has an astonishingly beautiful, flute-like song.
Noddy, Lesser
A graceful, medium-sized noddy, very similar to the Black Noddy but slightly larger with a longer, more slender bill and a darker overall appearance.
Nunlet, Rusty-breasted
A small, inconspicuous puffbird with a rufous breast and plain brown back. It sits quietly for long periods, sallying out to catch insect prey.
Norfolk Gerygone
A small, plain warbler endemic to Norfolk Island off Australia. It has a sweet, melodious song and actively forages for insects in foliage.
Nuthatch, Brown-headed
A small, social nuthatch with a brown cap and a distinctive white spot on its nape. Known for using a chip of bark as a tool to pry up other bark.
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
A tiny, active flycatcher of the southern US and Central America. Its crest, often raised, and plain appearance make it a subtle identification challenge.
Northern Goshawk
A powerful and secretive forest hawk. A fierce predator with a slate-grey back, finely barred underparts, and a piercing reddish-orange eye.
Northern Jacana
A striking wader with extremely long toes and claws that allow it to walk on lily pads. Known for its polyandrous mating system.
Northern Parula
A tiny, colorful wood-warbler of eastern North America. Males have a blue-grey head, a yellow throat and breast, and a greenish back patch.
Northern Pygmy-Owl
A tiny, day-active owl with a fierce nature, often preying on birds its own size. It has false “eyespots” on the back of its head.
Northern Scrub-Robin
A plain, ground-dwelling bird known for its habit of cocking and fanning its dark tail, revealing white tips.
Northern Waterthrush
A warbler that acts like a sandpiper, walking along the water’s edge and constantly bobbing its tail. Found in North and South America.
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
A small, black-and-white woodpecker with a barred back, closely associated with oak trees. The male has a red patch on the back of his head.