One of the most varied animal species in the world is the bird. They have accomplished this variety by occupying nearly every ecological niche that is present on the planet. There are several birds that begin with the letter I, just as birds have adapted to fill all the various niches on the globe.
Birds That Start with I – List of Birds Begins with the Letter ‘I’
There are many vibrant, fascinating, and magnificent bird species in the outside world. They sing they soar, and they give us the inspiration to make art. To help you learn about birds whose names begin with an I, we’ve put together a fun list.
Iceland Gull
The Iceland Gull is a species of migratory gull that spends the winter in the interior of North America in the British Isles, the North Atlantic, and the western Great Lakes. Much against the implication of their names, these birds breed in Canada and Greenland’s Arctic areas instead of Iceland.
Iceland Gulls are medium-sized birds that are considerably lighter than other gull species. They are substantially smaller than Herring Gulls. They have a body that is mostly white and wings that are gray.
Iceland Gulls have a high-pitched laugh-like cry for a call.
Imperial Woodpecker
The largest endemic woodpecker species in Mexico is the imperial woodpecker. Compared to other woodpecker species, these Endangered species have substantially faster wing flap rates.
The upper body of imperial woodpeckers is black and white, and the underparts are dark brown. There is some sexual dimorphism in the adults. The males are primarily black, and have a reddish crest, a big ivorybill, and white wing patches.
The crest color of their female counterparts, which is predominantly black with a little touch of red, contrasts with that of their male counterparts.
Ibisbill
Ibisbills are a kind of water bird that is frequently seen in the Himalayas and Central Asian Plateau. Although they occasionally appear in small flocks or groups of eight birds, they are mainly solitary birds.
Ibisbills are medium-sized birds that can be recognized by their black faces, breast bands, horrible crimson bills, and white bellies. The ladies have a longer bill than the males, despite the fact that they both look practically identical.
Indigo Bunting
The cardinal bird family includes the tiny indigo buntings, which breed in North America and spend the winter in South America. The habitat of these birds is open forest, farming, and brushy places.
Indigo Buntings are similar in size to House Sparrows. The adults are highly dimorphic in both sexes. The bodies of the males are cerulean blue, while their heads are indigo.
The female counterparts, in contrast, are primarily brown with a darker tinge on their upper regions. The males also develop brown edges to their feathers outside of the breeding season, giving them a slightly feminine appearance.
Ivory Gull
The tiny Arctic gull species known as the Ivory Gull is the sole member of its genus. North America, Eurasia, and Greenland are all home to these seabirds.
They are considered a Near-threatened Species by the IUCN, and it is thought that one of the main causes of this is unlawful hunting.
Ivory Gulls breed in colonies and frequently congregate on the coastlines of islands. They do, however, spend the winter months in regions covered in sea ice.
These seabirds have white overall plumage, black eyes, feet, legs, and a thick, gray beak with a yellow tip. During the breeding season, the bill tips and eyes of both sexes turn red.
The main food sources for Ivory Gulls include fish, rodents, young chicks, and eggs. They are opportunistic scavengers who frequently accompany polar bears to consume their prey’s leftovers.
Indian Vulture
The Indian Vulture is a species of Old World vulture native to Pakistan, India, and Nepal that is at grave risk of extinction.
A medium-sized bird with pale coloring and covert feathers is an Indian vulture. Their tail feathers are rather small, but their flying feathers are darker. Additionally, these scavengers have distinctive long bills and nearly bald heads and necks.
The female counterparts are smaller than the male counterparts, although having a comparable look. Indian vultures congregate in groups and feed primarily on the carcasses of people.
Intermediate Egret
The heron species known as the Intermediate Egret is also referred to as the “”Yellow-billed Egret,” “Median Egret, and the “Smaller Egret.” These wading birds are permanent residents of Southeast Asia, Australia, and East Africa.
These medium-sized herons have a moderately long wingspan, thick yellow bill, and milk-white plumage. They also have pitch-black legs. During the breeding season, their plumage turns golden, their bill somewhat reddens, and they sprout light plumes.
The mature Intermediate Egrets are monomorphic in their sexuality. They prefer to deliberately catch their prey in shallow waters, and frogs, fish, and insects are their main sources of nutrition.
Indigo-Capped Hummingbird
The distribution of the hummingbird species known as the indigo-capped hummingbirds is very small. These hummers are exclusive to Colombo. They were previously added to the IUCN’s Threatened Species list and removed from it in 2013.
Indigo-capped hummingbirds prefer subtropical or tropical moist lowland or montane forests, shrubby gardens, and dead or dying woods as their native habitats.
These hummingbirds are distinguished by an azure cap that covers their head, as their name suggests. They have an olive-green body and a brownish back. The visual differences between the sexes are unusual.
Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
In North America, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is a severely endangered species.
The IUCN lists habitat loss and poaching as two of the main concerns to this species’ rapidly falling population. Actually, according to the American Birding Association, these birds will “definitely or probably be extinct” very soon.
The largest woodpecker species in the world are Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers. They have a face marked in white and black plumage with white secondary feathers. Their entire body is covered in a violet iridescence.
Their bill has a distinctive ivory tint, as their name would imply. Their crest is the strongest indicator of their sex. The females have a black crest, but the males have a red one.
Island Scrub-Jay
One of the corvid family’s most endangered species is the Island Scrub-jay. These tiny birds are native to North America, where they are shared on Santa Cruz Island, earning them the nickname “Santa Cruz Jays.”
Island Scrub-jays resemble California Scrub-jays in appearance, but they are larger, have a thicker bill, and have more vivid colors. They feature white undersides and a blue head and upper body. A black mask is also visible on their face.
The main sources of food for Island Scrub-jays are insects, lizards, and mice. They frequently bury their prey after capturing it to consume later.
Imitator Goshawk
The Accipiter family of birds of prey includes the endangered Imitator Goshawk.
Due to habitat destruction, these raptors, sometimes known as “Imitator Sparrowhawks,” are in danger. They mostly live in damp lowland or montane forests in the subtropics and tropics.
Medium-sized birds are known as imitator goshawks with black throats, hoods, and backs. They have white underparts and underwings with a posterior margin. Their cries are a series of loud, piercing whistles.
Indian Cormorant
A kind of fish-eating waterbird that frequents the inland waters of the Indian subcontinent, Thailand, and Cambodia are Indian cormorants.
These birds can be found in mangroves and estuaries. Like all other cormorant species, they depend heavily on fish for nutrition.
These cormorants are similar in size to other cormorant species and have bodies that are dark bronze in color. They have a slender, hook-tipped bill and a black, crestless head.
