Explore the 35 Incredible 4-Letter Birds

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) cygnets a ride on his back. Gelderland in the Netherlands. Mute Swan ) and chicks cubs on a lake.
Albert Beukhof/Shutterstock.com

Written by Deniz Martinez

Published: January 31, 2024

Share on:

Advertisement


There are over 11,000 living species of birds (Aves) around the world, but only a small percentage of these are known by short and sweet 4-letter common bird names. Read on to discover 35 different 4-letter birds!

1. Chat

Brown rock chat, Indian chat - Oenanthe fusca on fence at green background. Photo from Ranthambore Fort in Rajasthan, India.

Birds called chats are found across the world.

Chat is a common name used for multiple types of birds from different families. It primarily refers to some of the members of the flycatcher subfamily Saxicolinae found in Eurasia and Africa. However, there are also Australian honeyeaters known as chats (Ashbyia and Epthianura); Neotropical American cardinals known as chats (Granatellus), and the yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens) of North America.

2. Coua

Couas are endemic to Madagascar.

A coua is any of nine living species of cuckoos in the Coua genus.

3. Crow

A pied crow (Corvus albus) perched on a branch, Etosha National Park, Namibia

Crows have a worldwide distribution.

Crow is a common name given to most members of the Corvus genus, with the others known as ravens.

4. Dodo

Stuffed dodo bird, an extinct flightless bird from Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

The dodo was endemic to the island of Mauritius.

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is a large flightless bird that was driven to extinction in the mid-17th century.

5. Dove

Doves have a worldwide distrbution.

Dove is a common name given to many members of the Columbidae family, a large family of nearly 350 living species which also includes pigeons.

6. Guan

Red-throated Piping Guan pair eating (Pipile cujubi)

Guans are native to the Neotropical Americas.

Guan is a common name used for birds in several genera of the Cracidae family (which also includes the chachalacas and curassows): Aburria, Chamaepetes, Oreophasis, Penelope, Penelopina, Pipile, and Ortalis.

7. Gull

Gulls have a worldwide distribution.

Gulls are seabirds in the Laridae family, with 54 living species currently recorded.

8. Hawk

A Red tailed hawk going in for the kill

Hawks have a global distribution.

Hawk is a common name given to many birds of prey in the Accipitridae family, especially in the subfamily Accipitrinae (the “true hawks”). In the U.S., birds of the Buteo genus are also commonly called hawks, while referred to as buzzards in most other parts of the world.

9. Huia

Huia (male and female) Heteralocha acutirostris

The huia was endemic to the North Island of New Zealand.

The huia (Heteralocha acutirostris) is a species of New Zealand wattlebird that likely went extinct in the early 20th century.

10. Ibis

Ibis

Ibises have a global distribution.

Ibises are 29 living species of wading birds in the subfamily Threskiornithinae recognizable by their long legs and long, downcurved bills.

11. Iora

Common Iora giving feed (Aegithina tiphia)

Ioras are native to South and Southeast Asia.

Ioras are any of four living species in the passerine family Aegithinidae.

12. Kagu

Kagu from New Caledonia with upright crown of feathers on a meadow; Rhynochetos jubatus

The kagu is endemic to the forests of New Caledonia.

The kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus), is one of only two living species in the Eurypygiformes order, the other being the Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias).

13. Kaka

Kaka - Nestor meridionalis - endemic parakeet living in forests of New Zealand. Parrot close up eating nut on a branch with green background.

The kākā is endemic to forests in New Zealand.

The kākā (Nestor meridionalis) is a parrot in the Strigopidae family of New Zealand parrots.

14. Kite

Black Kite (Milvus migrans) perched on a branch.

Kites have a worldwide distribution.

Kite is a common name used for over two dozen birds of prey in the Accipitridae family, mostly in the subfamilies Elaninae, Milvinae, and Perninae.

15. Kiwi

Little spotted Kiwi.

Kiwis are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand.

A kiwi is any of five living species of small ratites in the Apteryx genus.

16. Knot

Red knot. Protect the endangered species, biological diversity theme.3rd March, world day of endangered species.

Both species of knots are long-distance migrants that breed primarily in Arctic regions and overwinter mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.

Knot is a common name that usually refers to the red knot (Calidris canutus) but can also refer to the great knot (Calidris tenuirostris), two related species of migratory water birds.

17. Koel

A male Indian Koel bird perched on a branch in the arid jungles on the outskirts of Bangalore in November 2020

Koels are native to Southeast Asia and greater Australasia.

A koel is any of three living cuckoo species in the Eudynamys genus.

18. Lark

Crested lark standing on stake

Larks have a worldwide distribution.

Larks are passerine birds of the Alaudidae family, with about 100 species recorded.

19. Loon

Baby Common Loon (Gavia immer) riding on mother’s back

Loons live in the Northern Hemisphere.

A loon, also called a diver, is any of five living species of water birds in the Gavia genus.

20. Lory

Violet Necked Lory

Lories are all native to Indonesia and Melanesia.

Lory is the common name used for four different genera of parrots within the Lorini tribe (with the rest known as lorikeets): Eos, Chalcopsitta, Lorius, and Pseudeos.

21. Myna

Side view of Crested Myna shot at Penang Botanical Garden

Mynas are native to South and Southeast Asia.

Myna is a common name used for dozens of species in the starling family (Sturnidae) found across southern Asia.

22. Nene

Hawaiian goose

Nenes are endemic to Hawaii.

The nene (Branta sandvicensis), also known as the Hawaiian goose, is a goose species that is also the official state bird of Hawaii.

23. Rail

Adult King Rail (Rallus elegans) walking right in the open on the edge of a swamp in Galveston County, Texas, USA.

Rails have a worldwide distribution.

Rail is the common name given to the Rallidae family of birds, a diverse group of over 150 species.

24. Rhea

Greater Rhea with chicks foraging in savannah of Pantanal, Brazil

Rheas are endemic to South America.

A rhea is any of three living species of ratites in the eponymous Rhea genus.

25. Rook

Portrait of Eurasian rook (Corvus frugilegus). Rook on earth looking for food.

Rooks are native to the Palearctic.

The rook (Corvus frugilegus) is a corvid species whose collective nesting sites are also known as rookeries.

26. Ruff

Ruff - male bird at a wetland on the mating season in spring

Ruffs breed in northern Eurasia and winter further south in parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

The ruff (Calidris pugnax) is a wading bird species in the same family as sandpipers (Scolopacidae).

27. Shag

A herd of European Shags on the rocky coast of Scotland

Image: Wirestock Creators, Shutterstock

Shag is a common name used to refer to a number of water birds in the same family as cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), including the European shag (Gulosus aristotelis) and birds in the Leucocarbo genus.

28. Skua

Skua South polar in Antarctica

Some skuas, like this South Polar skua, are long-distance migrants that travel between far northern and far southern regions annually.

A skua is any of seven living species of seabirds in the Stercorarius genus.

29. Smew

Smews are a migratory species native to parts of Eurasia.

The smew (Mergellus albellus) is a species of diving duck.

30. Sora

Sora Rail or Sora Crake with Reflection

Soras are migratory birds that range from Canada to northern South America.

The sora (Porzana carolina), also called the sora rail or sora crake, is a small waterbird species in the rail family.

31. Swan

Black swan swimming, Slovakia

Swans have a global distribution.

A swan is any of six living species of long-necked waterfowl in the Cygnus genus.

32. Tern

Adult arctic tern feeding the chick on the rock.

Terns have a global distribution.

Terns are birds of the Sterninae family of seabirds.

33. Tody

Todies are endemic to the Caribbean.

A tody is any of five living species of small colorful birds in the Todus genus.

34. Weka

Birds that can't fly: Weka

The Weka is endemic to New Zealand.

The weka (Gallirallus australis), also known as the Māori hen and the woodhen, is a flightless rail species.

35. Wren

Cactus Wren perched on a Saguaro

Birds called wrens are found in the Americas, Eurasia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Wren is a common name used for birds belonging to three different families of passerines: the Troglodytidae (American wrens and the Eurasian wren); Maluridae (Australian wrens); and Acanthisittidae (New Zealand wrens).

Summary of Explore the 35 Incredible 4-Letter Birds

Common Name
1. Chat
2. Coua
3. Crow
4. Dodo
5. Dove
6. Guan
7. Gull
8. Hawk
9. Huia
10. Ibis
11. Iora
12. Kagu
13. Kaka
14. Kite
15. Kiwi
16. Knot
17. Koel
18. Lark
19. Loon
20. Lori
21. Myna
22. Nene
23. Rail
24. Rhea
25. Rook
26. Ruff
27. Shag
28. Skua
29. Smew
30. Sora
31. Swan
32. Tern
33. Tody
34. Weka
35. Wren
SOURCES: Birds of the World


Share this post on:
About the Author

Deniz Martinez is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on biogeography, ornithology, and mammalogy. Deniz has been researching, teaching, and writing about animals for over 10 years and holds both an MS degree from American Public University earned in 2016 and an MA degree from Lindenwood University earned in 2022. A resident of Pennsylvania, Deniz also runs Art History Animalia, a website and associated social media dedicated to investigating intersections of natural history with art & visual culture history via exploring animal iconography.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.