From powerful raptors to delicate songbirds, the collection of bird species that begin with the letter S is diverse and fascinating.
A list of birds whose names begin with S can be a useful resource, whether you are an experienced birdwatcher or just enjoy the beauty of nature.
Birds That Start with S – List of Birds Begins with the Letter ‘S’
This manual will assist you in learning about the many species, their distinctive traits and behaviors, and how to recognize them in the wild.
This guide is an indispensable resource for anybody interested in the fascinating world of birds that begins with the letter S. It contains information on habitat, migration patterns, and more.
Sage Grouse
Scientific name: Centrocercus urophasianus
In sagebrush habitats, the Sage Grouse resides. Originally considered to have a population of 16 million, it is now believed to be between 200,000 and 400,000. Early in the spring, grouse congregate in areas of open land known as “leks,” where males strut around to draw females for mating.
The sage grouse comes in two different species. The Gunnison sage grouse is exclusively found in a narrow area of Colorado and Utah, unlike the greater sage grouse, which can be found throughout western North America and certain parts of southwestern Canada.
Sage Sparrow
Scientific name: Artemisiospiza nevadensis
Found in: Western United States and Mexico
Medium-sized sparrows with round-shaped heads, short, thick beaks, and long tails are known as sage sparrows. According to experts, there are around 4 million adult breeding birds in this species.
They breed on creosote and saltbush desert shrubs, usually hidden in bushes and on the ground. The sage sparrow sings a vibrant, beautiful tune that can travel across vast open regions and tempt mates.
Sandhill Crane
Scientific Name: Antigone canadensis
Sandhill cranes are tall, long-necked, and have long, broad wings. In North America, they graze on grains and insects near marshes, meadows, and prairies. They migrate in vast groups at great altitudes to wintering sites.
Sandhill cranes frequently pause at locations where they are known to congregate annually in enormous flocks. Thousands to millions of people can be found in several migration groups! The most well-known destination is probably Platte River, Nebraska.
Scissored-Tail Flycatcher
Scientific name: Tyrannus forficatus
Found in: United States and Northern Mexico
The scissor-tailed flycatcher consumes a variety of insects, including grasshoppers, beetles, and crickets. The majority of them are found in Texas, but they can also be found in other states including Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Missouri.
Typically, these birds nest in areas with trees, shrubs, and undergrowth. In their quest for prospective nesting locations, male and female scissor-tail flycatchers evaluate the strength of potential locations by pressing their bodies against them.
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Scientific name: Accipiter striatus
The smallest hawk in the country is a Sharp-shinned hawk. These hawks eat rats and little birds. They pierce their prey’s major arteries with the help of their long toes and talons. Before eating, they will remove the feathers from their prey.
Sharp-shinned hawks spend the winter months throughout much of North America and the United States before migrating to the far north of the United States and Canada to breed.
By observing their flap and glide flight patterns, you can identify them in open areas. They won’t be simple to locate. These guys are more likely to be seen during migration.
Short-eared owl
Scientific name: Asio flammeus
From Alaska to South America, short-eared owls are a common species of owl in the Americas. The greatest time to see a short-eared owl in the United States is during the winter in gravel, marshes, rock quarries, woodlots, fields, and thickets.
Although they actually have “ear tuft” feathers, as their name suggests, they are so short that you hardly ever see them. Their numbers in a given location might fluctuate from year to year in tight correlation with the numbers of the animals that serve as their prey, such as rats, moles, weasels, and rabbits.
Since they are especially sensitive to fragmentation and habitat loss from the large open grasslands they require to be converted to farmland, it is believed that their populations overall are in decline.
Skylark
Scientific name: Alauda arvensis
Skylarks are little, dull-colored, grayish-brown birds that are native to North Africa, Asia, and Europe. They prefer to hunt for insects and seeds on the ground, and their bubbly, melodious songs make them instantly recognizable while in flight. More poems than any other songbird are known to reference the skylark’s song, which ranges in length from 160 to 400 syllables.
Snowy Egret
Scientific name: Egretta thula
Found in: North America
Snowy egrets favor building their nests close to marshes, marshy ponds, and soggy fields. They eat aquatic creatures like worms, fish, frogs, and insects. Long legs, brilliant white feathers, long toes, and bright yellow feet are characteristics of snowy egrets.
Their normally yellow feet turn reddish-orange during the breeding season, and they don’t recognize partners until they conduct a complex greeting process.
Snowy Owl
Scientific name: Bubo scandiacus
The majority of Canada is where Snowy Owls spend the winter, but this owl has been making its way southward into the United States year after year.
Each year, these stunning owls go far north to mate in the northern areas of Canada and Greenland. Once a Snowy Owl has found a place to spend the winter, it will stay there.
Snowy Owls are diurnal, which means they are active throughout the day, and they roost in plain sight, unlike the majority of other owls. Although they will perch on a high point, they prefer hunting in open areas.
Snowy Owls, in contrast to other owl species, are not frightened to leave their birthplace. Tracked owls from the same nest were discovered hundreds of miles apart.
Sooty Tern
Scientific name: Onychoprion fuscatus
Lives in: Tropical Oceans and Islands
Sooty terns spend years flying above tropical waters and infrequently touching down on the water. Instead, they catch fish or squid at the ocean’s surface, eat it, and then return to the air to continue eating.
The sooty tern rests on air currents and can fly for three years without ever touching water. Sooty terns reportedly wait until they are 6 years old to mate.
Spotted Dove
Scientific name: Spilopelia chinensis
Lives in: Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent
A black patch and white dots on their necks help to identify the spotted dove, which moves in tiny flocks. Spotted doves are drawn to human surroundings and mostly eat seeds and grains for food. Special feathers on the spotted dove produce a powder-like substance that lubricates the other feathers of the bird.
Spotted Owl
Scientific name: Strix occidentalis
California Finding a Spotted Owl is incredibly rare; they are only found in a few patchy locations in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the southwest of the United States. Due to the cutting of old-growth forests, the Spotted Owl’s habitat, population has drastically decreased.
These owls struggle to survive due to competition with Barred Owls. In the state’s far north, you might also come across a few Northern Spotted Owls.
Spotted Owls have wide heads, broad, rounded wings, and shorter tails than Barred Owls. They have predominantly dark brown plumage that has white dappling all over them.
They can also be recognized by the white “X” symbol on their face disks. The Spotted Owl, like the majority of owls, is active at night when it hunts for tiny prey, primarily rodents. On quiet nights close to forests, their booming, deep hoots can occasionally reverberate for more than a mile.
