songbird

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images, Videos & Interactives

The video thumbnail image shows a brown-speckled bird perched on a branch, singing with an open beak.

Eurasian nightingale (Erithacus megarhynchos)

The origins of birds.

Hear the songs of many different birds.

nest diversity in songbirds(From top) Nest and young of a pair of American robins (Turdus migratorius); apartment-like nest of the African social weaver (Philetairus socius); nest of the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus); nest and young of the common swallow (Hirundo rustica).

Orange-billed nightingale thrush (Catharus aurantiirostris)

Streaky seedeater (Serinus striolatus)

basic body feather tracts on a generalized songbird

American songbirds

For Students

songbird summary

Read Next

Hungry Pelican waiting to be fed, beak open, Australia

Why Don’t Birds Have Teeth?

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

Common, or southern, cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

8 Birds That Can’t Fly

Spider monkey swinging in a tree. (primate, jungle animal)

Why Do Animals Have Tails?

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

11 Questions About Birds Answered

Discover

Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)

The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church

Easter Procession of Maria Santisima del Sacromonte in Granada, Spain. This statue is known as Virgen de los Gitanos or The Virgin of the Gypsies.

What is Holy Week?

Titanic infographic. The 30th anniversary of its discovery is September 1, 2015. SPOTLIGHT VERSION.

Timeline of the Titanic’s Final Hours

King Cobra snake in Malaysia. (reptile)

9 of the World’s Deadliest Snakes

Entrants falling and tumbling over while chasing the cheese at the 2016 'Cheese Rolling' held at Cooper's Hill, in the Cotswolds, Brockworth England

7 of the World’s Most Dangerous Festivals

Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"

How Deadly Is Quicksand?

Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism,

Which Religion Is the Oldest?

songbird: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Songbirds highlight dopamine's role in learning • Mar. 28, 2025, 7:49 AM ET (Medical Xpress)

Best Bird in B.C. contest returns for a second year • Mar. 24, 2025, 3:51 AM ET (CBC)

Facts

Also Known As	Passeri • Oscines • passerine • oscine

Photos and Videos

Eurasian nightingale (Erithacus megarhynchos)

nest diversity in songbirds(From top) Nest and young of a pair of American robins (Turdus migratorius); apartment-like nest of the African social weaver (Philetairus socius); nest of the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus); nest and young of the common swallow (Hirundo rustica).

Orange-billed nightingale thrush (Catharus aurantiirostris)

Streaky seedeater (Serinus striolatus)

basic body feather tracts on a generalized songbird

American songbirds

The video thumbnail image shows a brown-speckled bird perched on a branch, singing with an open beak.

See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Topics

bird-of-paradise robin wood warbler cardinal finch shrike warbler tanager bowerbird vireo pigeon flightless bird bird of prey poultry ratite waterfowl Origins of Birds list of U.S. state birds ornithology bird-watching

Quiz

Birds, Birds, Birds Quiz

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

Know Your Birds Quiz: Part Two

A male cardinal perched in a tree (birds, redbirds).

U.S. State Bird Quiz

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae

Ultimate Bird Trivia Quiz

vulture. An adult bearded vulture at a raptor recovery center. The Gypaetus barbatus also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey and considered an Old World vulture.

Animal Factoids

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

turkey vulture. vulture. Close-up of a head and beak of a Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).

A Little Bird Told Me

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

Macaw. bird. Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) in Quantana Roo, Mexico. A large colorful parrot native to tropical North and South America.

Know Your Birds Quiz: Part One

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.

Ultimate Animals Quiz

List

Common, or southern, cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

8 Birds That Can’t Fly

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

11 Questions About Birds Answered

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. (birds)

15 of the Best Birdsongs (According to Britannica)

Demystified

Black-headed gulls perching on a roof with bird droppings, often seen in flocks around London, England, in winter time. The "black head" develops during the breeding season. (black headed, birds, guano, bird poop)

Do Birds Pee?