Birds That Start With V – List With Pictures And Facts

Last Updated on September 11, 2026

V brings a genuinely interesting spread of birds, from a bulky vulture built for scavenging to a wren-sized songbird known mostly for its call rather than its looks. This guide works through the confirmed bird names that start with the letter ‘V’, giving each one enough detail to actually stick. 

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Every entry among these birds that start with ‘V’ for preschoolers and kids comes with a picture and a short set of facts that go beyond just a name. The idea behind collecting these ‘V’ letter bird names is to give children something specific to remember about each species, not just another word on a list. Here’s what V has to offer. 

List Of Bird Names That Start With ‘V’

From large scavengers to small forest dwellers, birds beginning with ‘V’ bring a fair bit of variety for a single letter. Below is a selection of well-known species, along with facts and sightings to help kids recognise them. 

1. Vulture

The vulture is a large scavenging bird known for its bald head and important role in cleaning up carrion in the wild. 

Did You Know?

• Vultures have a highly acidic stomach that lets them safely digest rotting meat that would sicken most animals. 
• Their bald heads help keep them clean while feeding on carcasses. 
• Vultures can spot carrion from great heights while soaring on rising warm air. 
• Several vulture species are now endangered due to habitat loss and poisoning. 

Where You Might See: Vultures are found across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and parts of Europe, particularly in open grasslands and near carcasses. 

2. Vireo

The vireo is a small, plain-coloured songbird known for its persistent, repetitive singing throughout the day. 

Did You Know?

• Vireos are known to keep singing even during the hottest parts of the day, when most other birds go quiet. 
• They mainly feed on insects and caterpillars found among leaves. 
• Vireos build small, cup-shaped nests suspended from forked branches. 
• Their plain colouring means they’re identified more by song than by sight. 

Where You Might See: Vireos are found across North, Central, and South America, particularly in woodlands and gardens. 

3. Verdin

The verdin is a tiny desert songbird known for building large, dome-shaped nests far bigger than its own small body. 

Did You Know?

• Verdins build sturdy, thorny nests that offer strong protection from predators and extreme desert heat. 
• They are among the smallest songbirds found in North American deserts. 
• Verdins feed mainly on insects, spiders, and nectar. 
• They often build multiple nests each year, using extras as shelter outside of breeding season. 

Where You Might See: Verdins are found in the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. 

4. Violet-backed Starling

The violet-backed starling is a small, strikingly colourful bird, with males showing a glossy, iridescent purple back. 

Did You Know?

• Male violet-backed starlings have a shimmering violet colour that can look almost metallic in direct sunlight. 
• Females look completely different, with streaky brown and white feathers instead. 
• They mainly feed on fruit and insects. 
• Violet-backed starlings are considered one of the most striking starling species in Africa. 

Where You Might See: Violet-backed starlings are found across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in woodlands and forest edges. 

5. Variegated Fairywren

The variegated fairywren is a small, brightly coloured Australian songbird, with males turning a vivid blue during the breeding season. 

Did You Know?

• Male variegated fairywrens change into duller brown feathers outside the breeding season. 
• They live in small family groups that help raise young together. 
• Variegated fairywrens are known for their quick, hopping movements through dense shrubs. 
• Males are known to gather flower petals to present to females during courtship. 

Where You Might See: Variegated fairywrens are found across much of Australia, particularly in scrubland and open woodland. 

6. Vermilion Flycatcher

The vermilion flycatcher is a small, strikingly bright bird, with males showing an intense red body and dark wings. 

Did You Know?

• Male vermilion flycatchers perform fluttering display flights to attract mates, showing off their bright colouring. 
• They catch insects mid-air, often returning to the same perch afterwards. 
• Females have much duller, streaky feathers compared to males. 
• Vermilion flycatchers are considered one of the most eye-catching small birds in their range. 

Where You Might See: Vermilion flycatchers are found across the southwestern United States, Mexico, and parts of South America. 

7. Village Weaver

The village weaver is a small, sociable bird known for building tightly woven, hanging nests in large colonies. 

Did You Know?

• Male village weavers build elaborate hanging nests to attract females, who inspect and sometimes reject poorly made ones. 
• They often nest in large, noisy colonies within a single tree. 
• Village weavers mainly feed on seeds and insects. 
• Their bright yellow and black feathers make them easy to spot near nesting colonies. 

Where You Might See: Village weavers are found across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly near villages, farmland, and wetlands. 

8. Victoria Crowned Pigeon

The Victoria crowned pigeon is a large, strikingly beautiful bird known for its delicate, lace-like blue crest. 

Did You Know?

• Victoria crowned pigeons are among the largest pigeon species in the world. 
• Their fan-shaped crest resembles delicate lace or feathers on an old-fashioned hat. 
• They mainly feed on fallen fruit and seeds found on the forest floor. 
• Despite their size, they are surprisingly quiet and gentle birds. 

Where You Might See: Victoria crowned pigeons are found in the rainforests of New Guinea. 

9. Vulturine Guineafowl 

The vulturine guineafowl is a striking ground bird known for its bald, vulture-like head and vivid blue chest feathers. 

Did You Know?

• Vulturine guineafowl are the largest guineafowl species in the world. 
• Their bald head, despite resembling a vulture’s, is used purely for keeping cool in hot climates. 
• They live in large, tightly bonded social groups. 
• Vulturine guineafowl mainly feed on seeds, insects, and small reptiles. 

Where You Might See: Vulturine guineafowl are found in the dry savannas of East Africa, particularly Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. 

10. Von der Decken’s Hornbill

Von der Decken’s hornbill is a striking bird known for its large, colourful beak, with males and females displaying noticeably different beak colours. 

Did You Know?

• Male Von der Decken’s hornbills have bright red-and-cream beaks, while females have plain black ones. 
• They mainly feed on insects, small reptiles, and fruit. 
• Females seal themselves inside a nesting cavity using mud, leaving only a small opening for feeding. 
• Von der Decken’s hornbills are known for their loud, cackling calls. 

Where You Might See: Von der Decken’s hornbills are found across dry savanna regions of East Africa. 

11. Veery

The veery is a soft, cinnamon-brown songbird known for its haunting, flute-like, downward-spiralling song. 

Did You Know?

• The veery’s song is often described as one of the most beautiful and ethereal sounds in North American forests. 
• They nest low to the ground, usually within dense understory shrubs. 
• Veeries mainly feed on insects and berries. 
• They migrate long distances to South America each winter. 

Where You Might See: Veeries are found across the northern United States and Canada during the breeding season, particularly in damp woodlands. 

12. Varied Thrush

The varied thrush is a striking orange-and-black bird known for its slow, eerie, single-note whistling call. 

Did You Know?

• Varied thrushes have a haunting call made up of a single, buzzing whistle held at different pitches. 
• They mainly feed on insects during summer and switch to berries in colder months. 
• Varied thrushes prefer dense, shaded forest over open habitats. 
• Their bold orange eyebrow stripe makes them easy to identify. 

Where You Might See: Varied thrushes are found across the Pacific coast of North America, particularly in dense coniferous forests. 

13. Virginia Rail

The Virginia rail is a small, secretive marsh bird known for its long beak and reluctance to be seen in the open. 

Did You Know?

• Virginia rails are far more often heard than seen, thanks to their preference for staying hidden in dense marsh vegetation. 
• They use their long, slender beak to probe mud for insects and small invertebrates. 
• Virginia rails can swim short distances despite not being classic waterbirds. 
• Their sharp, grunting calls carry well across quiet wetlands. 

Where You Might See: Virginia rails are found across wetlands in the United States and Canada. 

14. Violet-crowned Hummingbird

The violet-crowned hummingbird is a small, elegant bird known for its bright white underside and shimmering violet-blue crown. 

Did You Know? 

• Violet-crowned hummingbirds have unusually pale, white chest feathers compared to most other hummingbird species. 
• They feed mainly on flower nectar, supplementing their diet with small insects. 
• Their violet crown is only fully visible from certain angles in good light. 
• They are considered less aggressive than many other hummingbird species. 

Where You Might See: Violet-crowned hummingbirds are found in parts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. 

15. Velvet Scoter

The velvet scoter is a large, dark sea duck known for the small white patches on its wings, visible mainly during flight. 

Did You Know?

• Velvet scoters dive underwater to feed mainly on shellfish and small crustaceans. 
• Their white wing patches are usually hidden while swimming and only visible in flight. 
• Velvet scoters often gather in large rafts far out at sea during winter. 
• They are strong, fast swimmers despite their bulky build. 

Where You Might See: Velvet scoters are found along coastlines in northern Europe and parts of Asia, particularly during winter. 

More ‘V’ Letter Birds

V doesn’t stretch to the long lists seen with more common letters, but a couple of additional ‘V’ starting birds’ names are still worth knowing beyond the fifteen species already covered above. These tend to be more regionally specific but are genuine, documented species. 

Birds That Start With ‘V’ – Chart

Looking for a simple way to check what bird starts with the letter ‘V’? The chart below rounds up every species covered across this guide. 

FAQs

1. Why Does The Vulturine Guineafowl Have A Bald Head Like A Vulture? 

Despite the resemblance, a vulturine guineafowl’s bald head has nothing to do with scavenging; it simply helps the bird stay cool in the hot, dry savanna climates where it lives. 

2. How Do Male Village Weavers Attract A Mate? 

Male village weavers build elaborate, tightly woven hanging nests, and females inspect each one closely, often rejecting nests that aren’t sturdy or well-constructed before choosing a mate. 

3. Why Are Verdin Nests So Much Larger Than The Bird Itself? 

Verdins build oversized, thorny, dome-shaped nests to withstand extreme desert temperatures and deter predators, often constructing several throughout the year for use well beyond just raising chicks. 

4. How Can You Tell Male And Female Von Der Decken’s Hornbills Apart? 

The easiest way is by beak colour; males have a bright red-and-cream beak, while females have a plain black one, a clear difference that holds throughout adulthood. 

V turns out to be a stronger letter than expected, pairing familiar names like vulture and vireo with striking finds like the Victoria crowned pigeon and vulturine guineafowl. These bird names starting with ‘V’ add real texture to kids’ vocabulary, especially with so many unusual nesting habits and colour differences to point out along the way.