Pictures of Birds in the Wild

Welcome to Bird Images

On this website you will find images of birds taken by Will Burrard-Lucas.

About Birds

Birds are a group of endothermic vertebrates, easily distinguished by their feathers and wings. There are around 10,000 different species of bird on the planet. Their body size ranges from the largest bird in the world, the Ostrich, to the smallest bird in the world, the Bee Hummingbird.

The fastest bird in the world is the Peregrine Falcon, which when diving, can reach speeds of over 100mph.

Almost all bird species are socially monogamous, and about 20% of the population of birds partake in migrations.

Birds have a huge variety of different appearances. Some exhibit vivid colours on their feathers, which is usually designed to attract a mate. The male birds of paradise, sometimes considered as the most colorful and dynamic birds in the world, have the ability to perform aerobatic and melodic displays in order to attract a female.

Meat-eating birds feed on a diverse variety of prey and have a range of hunting techniques. The Fish Eagle in Africa, for example, has the ability to scan the water whilst flying, for fish, and then swoop down and grab one with its powerful talons. Other birds, such as vultures, are scavengers and feed on carrion. In Africa, vultures are usually seen, following land-based predators such as lions or hyenas to feed off their kills.

Birds are known for their vocal songs and communication, for example, the Wren sings a song, which is composed of more than 700 different notes. These songs often have the purpose of attracting a mate.

Birds are threatened by a number of conservation issues. For example, in the USA alone, it is estimated that more than 3.7 billion birds are killed by domestic cats each year. Collisions, pollution and oil spills are also significant threats to some bird populations.

Birds play a vital role in our planet’s ecosystems and their presence often provides an indication of the health of an environment.