Discover 16 Amazing Birds That Start With P

The world is full of amazing birds from the flamboyant to the massive to the mind-blowingly fast. Though they differ in many ways, a number of these birds have one thing in common: their initial letter. Read on to discover 16 amazing birds that start with the letter P!

1. Pacific Loon (Gavia pacific)

Much like its relative the common loon, the Pacific loon is most famous for its haunting wail. Its call, most common during the breeding season, carries for miles. However, it also utters a number of other, sharper vocalizations. This specialized piscivore dives underwater to catch fish, often swimming beneath them to drive them to the surface.

• Color: (Breeding plumage) black body with white markings, top of the head and back of neck grey, face lighter; (non-breeding plumage) dull black-brown with duller black on the back, dark brown on sides, white chin/throat/breast, dark necklace on the throat, back of head grey
• Length: 23-29 inches
• Wingspan: 3.6 to 4.2 feet
• Location: Japan, North America, Russia
• Habitat: Wetlands (inland), marine (neritic)
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

2. Pacific Screech-Owl (Megascops cooperi)

Another bird that starts with P is the Pacific screech-owl, notable for its prominent ear tufts and its intense yellow eyes. Its diminutive size restricts it to large insects, arthropods like scorpions, flying squirrels, and small birds. Its two subspecies utter distinctly different cries.

• Color: Greyish body, off-white underparts, crown pale tawny grey with dusky or black markings, pale tawny grey upperparts
• Length: 7.9 to 10.2 inches
• Wingspan: —
• Location: Central America
• Habitat: Forest
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

3. Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)

Notable for its striking black-and-white body with tinges of color, this sizeable wader is a member of the stork family. When not wading in search of fish, it takes to the air to soar on thermals. Despite its size, its vocalizations are little more than a weak moan.

• Color: Whitish body, orange or reddish bare head, black breast with scaly white markings, red or yellowish legs, bright pink-tipped tertials, greenish gloss on primaries and secondaries
• Length: 36.5 to 40 inches
• Wingspan: 4.8 to 5.3 feet
• Location: Asia
• Habitat: Wetlands (inland), marine (coastal)
• Conservation Status: Near Threatened

4. Parrot (order Psittaciformes)

Parrots range greatly in size from the tiny buff-faced pygmy parrot to the majestic hyacinth macaw. They also come in a dazzling array of patterns and colors including combinations of red, orange, yellow, blue, green, grey, white, brown, and black. Notable for their chatters and squawks, some species are also capable of mimicking human speech. Unfortunately, poaching and habitat loss have contributed to the decline of several species.

• Color: Multicolored: red, orange, yellow, blue, green, grey, white, brown, and black
• Length: 3.1 to 39.4 inches
• Wingspan: Up to 5 feet
• Location: Africa, Asia, North America (including Central America), Oceania (including Australia), South America
• Habitat: Rainforest, highland forest, grassland, savanna, semi-arid regions
• Conservation Status: Some species endangered

5. Partridge (family Phasianidae)

As ground-dwelling birds, partridges build their nests on the ground. This belies the popular Christmas song, which locates “a partridge in a pear tree.” These are popular game birds that occur on almost every continent. In fact, humans introduced them to North America for the purpose of supplying hunters with more fowl.

• Color: Mostly greyish or brownish, various colorations
• Length: 11-13 inches
• Wingspan: 1.7 to 1.8 feet
• Location: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America
• Habitat: Forest, grassland, steppe, agricultural fields
• Conservation Status: Some species endangered

6. Peacock (genera Pavo and Afropavo)

The proper name for peacocks collectively is “peafowl.” “Peacock” refers to male peafowl while “peahen” refers to females. Three species exist within two genera: the iconic Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), the green peafowl (Pavo muticus), and the Congo peafowl (Afropavo congensis). These splendiferous birds are famous for their stunning coloration and the males’ iridescent trains.

• Color: Blue, green, bronze, gold, and/or black
• Length: 24-118 inches
• Wingspan: 4.3 to 5.3 feet (Indian peafowl), 3.9 to 5.3 feet (green peafowl)
• Location: Asia, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Habitat: Forest, shrubland, savanna, grassland
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (Indian peafowl), Endangered (green peafowl), Near Threatened (Congo peafowl)

7. Penguin (family Spheniscidae)

Penguins are a family of flightless birds famous for their superb swimming ability, their winglike flippers, and their black-and-white countershading. Although most live in the Southern Hemisphere, one species (the Galápagos penguin) lives north of the Equator in the Galápagos Islands. Unlike the vast majority of birds, they are exquisitely designed for life in the water. The Gentoo penguin is the fastest diving bird in the world, swimming at speeds of up to 22 miles per hour.

• Color: Black and white
• Length: 12-47 inches
• Wingspan: Up to 2.9 feet
• Location: Antarctica, Oceania, Galápagos Islands
• Habitat: Coast, marine
• Conservation Status: Some species endangered

8. Pheasant (Phasianidae)

Pheasants are popular game birds similar to the partridge. While the females are a rather drab brownish-black, the males are flamboyant and colorful. Although they are able to fly, they are ground-dwelling birds by nature and therefore more comfortable on the ground.

• Color: Red, orange, yellow, green, tan, brown, black
• Length: 21-33 inches
• Wingspan: 2.3 to 2.8 feet
• Location: Global except for Antarctica, native to Eurasia
• Habitat: Forest, grassland, shrubland, wetlands (inland), desert
• Conservation Status: Some species endangered

9. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

This visually striking woodpecker drills large, rectangular holes into trees in search of insects. Its long tongue is specially adapted to lap up insects, particularly ants. While drilling, it uses its talons to perch vertically on the tree trunk.

• Color: Black, grey, red
• Length: 16-19 inches
• Wingspan: 2.2 to 2.5 feet
• Location: North America
• Habitat: Forest, wetlands (inland)
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

10. Pink Pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri)

True to its name, the pink pigeon boasts lovely pinkish-grey plumage on its head, shoulders, and underside. A ring of red skin circles its eyes above a dark pink beak. Native to the African island country of Mauritius, this diminutive bird is vulnerable to extinction.

• Color: Dark brown wings, pinkish-grey on head/shoulders/underside, rust-colored tail, a dark pink beak with white tip, dark brown eyes with a ring of red skin
• Length: 14 to 15.8 inches
• Wingspan: —
• Location: Mauritius
• Habitat: Forests (upland evergreen and coastal)
• Conservation Status: Vulnerable

11. Puffbird (family Bucconidae)

The puffbird gets its name from its habit of puffing out its head and neck plumage, making its head look larger than it is. It is one of the quietest birds in the Neotropics, though some species are more vocal than others. As a sit-and-wait hunter, it waits patiently on its perch for passing insects, arthropods, or lizards.

• Color: Dull brownish/rufous/grey plumage, brightly colored bills/eyebrows/irises
• Length: 5.1 to 11 inches
• Wingspan: —
• Location: Mexico, South America
• Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland
• Conservation Status: Least Concern or Not Listed

12. Puffin (genus Fratercula)

With its large bill, stocky body, and signature black-and-white coloration, the puffin is an iconic bird. It comes in three different species spread out across four continents. Because of its appearance, especially its colorful bill, it has earned the nicknames “clowns of the sea” and “sea parrots.”

• Color: Black above, white below, black cap on head, white face, colorful bill, orange-red feet
• Length: 13-16 inches
• Wingspan: 1.5 to 2 feet
• Location: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America
• Habitat: Grassland, rocky areas, marine (neritic, intertidal, oceanic, coastal)
• Conservation Status: Vulnerable (Atlantic puffin), Least Concern (horned puffin, tufted puffin)

13. Purple Martin (Progne subis)

The so-called purple martin is actually blackish-blue in color, though its iridescence makes it appear deeply purple in some lights. These small insectivores practice hawking, which is the interception of insects midair. They have a long history of happy coexistence with humans that continues to the present day.

• Color: Iridescent blackish-blue feathers (may appear deep blue, green, or purple in some lights), lighter underparts (females)
• Length: 7.5 to 7.9 inches
• Wingspan: 1.27 to 1.34 feet
• Location: North America (including Central America), South America
• Habitat: Forest, shrubland, wetlands (inland)
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

14. Pygmy Falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus)

The pygmy falcon is notable for being the smallest bird of prey in Africa. Also known as the African pygmy falcon, this diminutive species preys on reptiles, small birds, rodents, and insects. Its undulating flight is atypical of a falcon.

• Color: Greyback (males), chestnut back (females), white undersides, white “eye spots” on the nape
• Length: 7.9 inches
• Wingspan: 1.2 to 1.3 feet
• Location: Africa
• Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

The Largest Bird That Starts With P (#15)

The largest bird that starts with P is the pelican (genus Pelecanus), specifically the Dalmatian pelican. Although the peafowl (especially the green peafowl) is often longer than the Dalmatian pelican due to its train, it is significantly lighter with a shorter wingspan. Pelicans are also famous for their long bills, which measure up to 1.6 feet in length, as well as for their massive gular pouches.

• Color: Black, grey, white
• Length: 42-72 inches
• Wingspan: 6 to 11.5 feet
• Location: Global except for Antarctica
• Habitat: Wetlands (inland), marine (neritic, intertidal, oceanic, coastal)
• Conservation Status: Some species endangered

The Fastest Bird That Starts With P (#16)

The fastest bird – and animal – in the world is the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). When in a hunting stoop (steep dive), this species reaches astonishing speeds of up to 242 miles per hour. This makes it one of the deadliest avian predators in the world. It uses both the impact of its dive and its fierce talons to kill its prey.

• Color: Bluish-black to slate grey back/wings/tail, black head and “mustache,” pale throat and sides of the neck, whitish underparts with dark barring, black-tipped tail with a white band
• Length: 13-20 inches
• Wingspan: 3.1 to 3.8 feet
• Location: Global except for Antarctica
• Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland, wetlands (inland), rocky areas, desert, marine (intertidal, coastal)
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

Summary Table of Birds That Start With P