The vulture, velvet scoter, violet-backed starling, and violetear are some of the most well-known birds whose names begin with the letter V. These birds, which can be found all throughout the world, frequently attract people’s curiosity. Here are some further details on them.
Here is a list of mostly North American birds, from flycatchers to hummingbirds, that have something in common. Each of these birds has a V as its first letter.
Enjoy!
| Bird Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Vulture | Cathartes aura |
| Varied Thrush | Ixoreus naevius |
| Violet-crowned Hummingbird | Amazilia violiceps |
| Veery | Catharus fuscescens |
| Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca |
| Violet Sabrewing | Campylopterus hemileucurus |
| Victoria’s Riflebird | Ptiloris victoriae |
Verdin
Scientific name: Auriparus flaviceps.
Tiny, unique songbird with bills that are quite pointed. simple gray with an orange head most of the time. On shoulders, there are little rufous patches that may be seen. Verdin hunt on their own or in pairs in mesquite-dominated desert scrub areas.
They occasionally go to hummingbird feeders to obtain nectar. To entice possible females, the male starts to construct nests. They complete the nest jointly once a female joins the male. They can be found in Mexico and the southwest U.S.
Veery
Scientific name: Catharus fuscescens.
Warm-colored thrush with a buffy breast, a white belly, and brilliant reddish-brown coloring all over. They are more frequently found in places that are humid. The male sings a lovely, ethereal, downward warbling melody in the twilight. Both sexes are reserved and timid.
Even though the Veery is the American thrushes with the fewest spots, it is also the one that can be seen the easiest. This species can be found from northern Georgia through southern Canada. Resides in central Brazil during the winter.
Varied Thrush
Scientific name: Ixoreus naevius.
Beautiful strongly patterned and colorful Thrush with dramatic patterns. Males have a beautiful combination of orange, blue-gray, and black. The diversified thrush can be found from Oregon, California, Idaho, and Montana south to Alaska, Yukon, and the western portion of the Northwest Territories.
They can be found in a variety of woodlands with fruiting plants in the winter and breed in mature, wet forests in the Pacific Northwest. The aggressive Varied Thrush intimidates other feeder bird species.
Vermilion Flycatcher
Scientific name: Pyrocephalus rubinus.
The male Vermilion Flycatcher does exactly what its name suggests—it burns with feathers in the desert. A magnificent red bird that sits high on fences and shrubs to hawk flying insects.
The genus name of the Vermillion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus, implies “fire-headed.” Most of South America and the southwest of the United States are home to vermillion flycatchers.
Virginia Rail
Scientific name: Rallus limicola.
This elusive bird dwells in freshwater marshes where it is frequently concealed by the thick foliage. The Virginia rail may be heard through loud, booming groans, though. They spend the entire year in some locations along the east and west coasts, while another population winters in Mexico and the southern half of the United States before migrating up to those regions to reproduce.
It has a gray face, a brown body, a reddish-orange bill, and some black and white banding down its lower flanks. The Virginia Rail’s forehead feathers are a little more durable because they have to push through marsh plants that can be rather dense and occasionally have sharp edges.
Variable Sunbird
Scientific name: Cinnyris venustus.
These medium-sized sunbirds can be found in the scrublands of Australia, South Asia, some regions of Africa, and South. Breeding males are highly vivid, with metallic head and back feathers that are blue, green, and purple, as well as brightly colored bellies that are typically yellow but can also be orange or white. The dull olive and yellow coloring of the females and non-breeding males makes them less colorful.
Their larger beak is curved downward to aid in reaching into blossoms for nectar. Sunbirds need a consistent supply of fuel from their meals due to their high metabolic rates.
Variegated Fairy-Wren
Scientific name: Malurus lamberti.
These diminutive Australian and New Guinean birds have a long tail that is normally held erect and cocked. Breeding males have a royal blue back, chestnut shoulders, and black breast. Females have light fronts, long blue tails, and dark red patches between their eyes and bills. They are grayish in color.
Fairywrens cooperate in reproducing and congregate in small groups to protect their natal areas. The young are typically raised with the assistance of numerous “helpers” in addition to the breeding couple. Males may provide yellow flowers to females during the wooing process.
Vaux’s Swift
Scientific name: Chaetura vauxi.
The western seaboards of the USA, Mexico, and Central America are home to the Vaux’s Swift. These grayish-brown birds fly with strong and rapid wingbeats and are small for swifts. They fly around a lot, collecting flying insects as they pass by.
Since the old-growth forests that formerly covered the northwest have been eliminated, the species has become rare because it depends on big, hollowed trees as nesting places. Sometimes they may build their nest in chimneys. A few non-parental adults may assist parents in feeding nestlings in some nests, providing foster care for the birds.
Velvet Scoter
Scientific name: Melanitta fusca.
A big scoter with a difficult-to-see white patch on its wings when its wings are folded. Males are generally darker than females and have vivid orange beaks and little white dots under their eyes. They are also all-over dark chocolate-brown. On the female face, there are two larger, rounder white dots.
These birds breed in woodlands near water over most of northern Europe, including Scandinavia, Britain, and (rarely) Ireland. A mooter or scooter of scooters is the collective term for a group of scooters.
Venezuelan Flowerpiercer
Scientific name: Diglossa venezuelensis.
The species’ females are a mixture of gray and yellow olive, while the males are completely black. The underside of the wings is dazzling white when in flight. The tip of their beak bears a hook and curves slightly downward. Given that they utilize it to penetrate flower bases in order to access the nectar inside, this bill provides a clue as to how they got their unique name. Unlike many other nectar-drinking birds, who simply have long bills that they can push into the blossom, this one uses a different technique.
Verreaux’s Eagle
Scientific name: Aquila verreauxii.
In sub-Saharan Africa, there is a large black eagle known as the Verreaux’s eagle. They are primarily dark in color, with white patches on their backs and toward the tips of their wings. This unusual raptor can be seen flying close to cliffs and mountainous areas. These eagles are well adapted to catching their preferred prey, the little rabbit-like rock hyraxe. They inhabit and nest in the unique arid, rocky environments known as kopjes. They are found in very specialized locales and have not yet proven to be adaptable to different environments due to their dependence on kopjes and the rock hyraxe.
Village Weaver
Scientific name: Ploceus Cucullatus.
The biggest weavers in Africa are called “Village Weavers,” also called “Black-Headed Weavers.” Breeding males have vivid yellow wings and black faces. Females lack the black face and have wings that are more olive-yellow in color. The eyes of both animals are crimson.
These weavers create their enclosed, pocket-like nests, which are hanging from a tree branch, using strips of grass and leaves. Because they are colonial breeders, they will often nest in groups, and several nests may hang from a single tree.
