In a recent post, I mentioned that a pair of pigeons have made their nest on my balcony, so today I’d like to share some English vocabulary related to birds.

Bird body parts

Birds use their wings to fly and their beaks (mouths) to eat. Birds of prey use their talons (claws) to catch prey. 

They are often identified by the features or colours of their crest, breast(feathers), and tail(feathers). Sometimes, these words are even found in the name of a species, such as the flamecrest (Taiwan firecrest) or the yellow-breasted chat. 

Bird movement verbs

Of course birds can fly in the air and walk on land (and some can even swim in the water), but can you think of any other verbs for their movement? 

In the air, they flap their wings to fly or to hover (like a hummingbird). Using the wind, they can soar or glide, and when they want to descend, especially to catch prey, they can swoop or dive. They can also dive in the water and float on its surface. When a bird begins to fly, we can say that it takes off or takes wing, and, like planes, they land when they return to the ground. 

Birds that migrate move from one region or habitat to another according to the seasons. 

When a bird rests somewhere, we can say that it perches on that spot (perch can also be used as a noun for the place where the bird rests). 

Ex. A seagull swooped down and took my French fry right out of my hand!

Ex. Canada geese migrate south for the winter.

Ex. Can you see that bird perched on the fence over there?

Bird sounds

In general, birds are said to sing or call to each other (especially mates). They typically tweet or chirp ( a short, sharp, high-pitched sound), but specific types of birds may also have specific verbs for the sounds they make. For instance, pigeons coo (a soft, murmuring sound), crows caw, roosters (male chickens) crow (the sound of which is cock-a-doodle-doo in English!), and birds of prey (predatory, hunting birds), such as eagles, may shriek or screech (a loud, harsh, or piercing cry). 

Like many verbs used for the sounds of other animals, most bird sound verbs can also be used to describe specific types of human speech. For example, when someone crows, they are bragging, and when they coo, they are talking fondly, amorously, or appreciatively.

Other bird words

Birds construct and live in nests, where they lay their eggs and raise their chicks (baby birds) after they hatch (are born; come out of the egg). 

Some people put up birdhouses, bird baths, and/or bird feeders near their homes to attract birds.

A group of birds is a flock, but some species have specific names for their groups. For example, a group of crows is called a murder (crazy, right?).

Bird idioms/proverbs

Surprisingly, there are many English expressions related to birds, but here are just a few:

• To have an eagle eye / To keep an eagle eye on someone/something: to be able to see or observe keenly; to keep a close watch
• Birds of a feather flock together: people of the same sort or with the same tastes and interests will be found together
• To eat like a bird: to eat very little
• Night owl: a person who stays up late at night
• To take someone under your wing: to help, teach, or take care of someone who is younger or has less experience
• Birdbrain: an annoyingly stupid and shallow person

That’s all for now! Whether you think birds are beautiful and graceful or weird and creepy, I hope these words will help you to talk about birds in English!