Water Birds Names in English with Pictures

Water birds are birds that live near or around lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands, oceans, and other water environments. Many of them have special features that help them swim, dive, wade, or find food in and around water. Ducks, swans, geese, herons, flamingos, pelicans, and kingfishers are some familiar examples. Learning water bird names in English is a great way to expand vocabulary while discovering different birds and their natural habitats. In this article, you will learn water birds names in English with pictures, helping kids, students, teachers, bird lovers, and English learners easily recognize, understand, and remember the names of different water birds.

Table of Contents

Common Bird Name in English

Little Grebe
Horned Grebe
Pelican
Great White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Dalmatian Pelican
Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Little Cormorant
Shag
Anhinga
Darter
Heron
Great Blue Heron
Grey Heron
Goliath Heron
Egret
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret

Water Birds Names in English and pictures

Little Grebe
A little grebe is a small water bird with a compact body and short neck, often found in ponds and lakes. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, feeding mainly on insects, small fish, and aquatic creatures.
Horned Grebe
A horned grebe is a medium-sized diving bird known for its striking breeding plumage with golden feather tufts near the head. It lives in freshwater lakes and feeds on fish and insects by diving underwater.
Pelican
A pelican is a large water bird with a long bill and a throat pouch used to catch fish. It is commonly found near oceans and lakes, feeding mainly on fish by scooping them from water.
Great White Pelican
A great white pelican is a large, white water bird with a long bill and pouch. It lives in lakes and wetlands and feeds mainly on fish, often hunting in groups to catch prey efficiently.
Brown Pelican
A brown pelican is a coastal bird known for diving from heights into water to catch fish. It has brown feathers and a large pouch, commonly found along seashores and ocean areas.
Dalmatian Pelican
A Dalmatian pelican is one of the largest flying birds, with silvery-white feathers and a large bill. It lives in wetlands and feeds mainly on fish, often seen gliding slowly over water bodies.
Cormorant
A cormorant is a water bird with a long neck and hooked bill, known for diving to catch fish. It is often seen drying its wings after swimming in lakes, rivers, and coastal areas.
Great Cormorant
A great cormorant is a large black water bird with a long neck and strong bill. It dives underwater to catch fish and is commonly found near rivers, lakes, and coastal regions.
Little Cormorant
A little cormorant is a small, dark water bird found in freshwater areas. It feeds mainly on fish by diving and is often seen perched with wings spread to dry after swimming.
Shag
A shag is a type of cormorant with dark feathers and a slender body. It lives mainly along rocky coasts and feeds on fish by diving underwater using its strong swimming ability.
Anhinga
An anhinga is a water bird with a long neck and sharp bill, often called a snake bird due to its swimming style. It hunts fish underwater and is commonly found in freshwater habitats.
Darter
A darter is a water bird similar to the anhinga, known for its long neck and ability to spear fish with its sharp bill. It lives in lakes and rivers and swims with only its neck above water.
Heron
A heron is a tall, long-legged water bird with a long neck and sharp bill. It stands still in shallow water to catch fish, frogs, and insects, commonly found near rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Great Blue Heron
A great blue heron is a large wading bird with blue-grey feathers, long legs, and a sharp bill. It feeds on fish and small animals, often standing still before striking its prey.
Grey Heron
A grey heron is a tall bird with grey feathers, a long neck, and long legs. It lives near water and hunts fish by standing quietly and striking quickly with its sharp beak.
Goliath Heron
A Goliath heron is the largest heron species, with a massive body and long legs. It lives in wetlands and feeds on large fish, using its strong bill to catch prey.
Egret
An egret is a type of heron with white feathers and long legs. It is commonly found in wetlands, feeding on fish and small creatures by walking slowly in shallow water.
Great Egret
A great egret is a large white wading bird with long legs and a sharp yellow bill. It feeds mainly on fish and is commonly seen standing still in shallow water.
Snowy Egret
A snowy egret is a small white bird with black legs and bright yellow feet. It feeds on fish and insects, often seen actively walking in shallow water to catch prey.
Cattle Egret
A cattle egret is a white bird often seen near livestock, feeding on insects disturbed by animals. It is commonly found in fields and wetlands, helping control insect populations naturally.

Water Birds Names in English and pictures

Bird name in English

Bittern
Night Heron
Stork
White Stork
Black Stork
Openbill Stork
Spoonbill
Ibis
Sacred Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Scarlet Ibis
Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
Lesser Flamingo
Sandhill Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Whooping Crane
Lapwing
Plover
Killdeer

Water birds names in English with pictures

Bittern
A bittern is a secretive water bird with a thick body and long neck, often found in reeds and marshes. It stays still to hide and feeds on fish, insects, and small animals.
Night Heron
A night heron is a medium-sized heron that is active mainly at night. It has a stocky body and short neck, feeding on fish, insects, and small animals in wetlands.
Stork
A stork is a large wading bird with long legs and a long bill. It lives near water and feeds on fish, frogs, and small animals, often building large nests in open areas.
White Stork
A white stork is a large bird with white feathers and black wings. It lives near wetlands and fields, feeding on insects, fish, and small animals, often nesting on tall structures.
Black Stork
A black stork is a large bird with dark feathers and a white belly. It prefers quiet forested wetlands and feeds on fish, amphibians, and insects in clean water areas.
Openbill Stork
An openbill stork is a stork with a gap between its upper and lower bill. It uses this special bill to feed mainly on snails and is commonly found in wetlands.
Spoonbill
A spoonbill is a wading bird with a long bill shaped like a spoon. It sweeps its bill through water to catch small fish, insects, and aquatic creatures.
Ibis
An ibis is a wading bird with a long curved bill. It feeds on insects, small fish, and crustaceans by probing mud and shallow water in wetlands and marshy areas.
Sacred Ibis
A sacred ibis is a white bird with a black head and curved bill. It feeds on insects and small animals and is often found near wetlands and open land.
Glossy Ibis
A glossy ibis is a dark-colored bird with shiny feathers that reflect green and purple shades. It lives in wetlands and feeds on insects, small fish, and crustaceans.
Scarlet Ibis
A scarlet ibis is a bright red bird found in wetlands. Its color comes from its diet, and it feeds on crustaceans, insects, and small aquatic animals.
Flamingo
A flamingo is a tall bird with long legs and a curved bill. It stands in shallow water and filters small food like algae and tiny creatures using its specialized bill.
Greater Flamingo
A greater flamingo is the largest flamingo species, with pale pink feathers and long legs. It feeds by filtering small organisms from water and is commonly found in large wetlands.
Lesser Flamingo
A lesser flamingo is smaller and more brightly colored than the greater flamingo. It feeds mainly on algae and tiny organisms, often seen in large groups in shallow lakes.
Sandhill Crane
A sandhill crane is a tall bird with long legs and a grey body. It lives in wetlands and grasslands, feeding on plants, insects, and small animals.
Demoiselle Crane
A demoiselle crane is a smaller crane with a slender body and graceful appearance. It lives in open areas and feeds on seeds, insects, and small animals.
Whooping Crane
A whooping crane is a large, rare bird with white feathers and a long neck. It lives in wetlands and feeds on fish, insects, and plants, known for its loud call.
Lapwing
A lapwing is a medium-sized bird with a crest and broad wings. It lives in open fields and wetlands, feeding on insects and small invertebrates on the ground.
Plover
A plover is a small to medium-sized bird with a short bill and rounded body. It lives near water and feeds on insects and small creatures found on the ground.
Killdeer
A killdeer is a type of plover with a brown body and black chest bands. It is known for its loud call and lives in open areas, feeding on insects and small invertebrates.