Birds That Start With W – List With Pictures And Facts

Last Updated on September 11, 2026

W offers one of the fuller collections in the alphabet, running from familiar birds like the woodpecker and wren to sea-faring giants like the wandering albatross. This guide works through a solid set of bird names that start with the letter ‘W’, giving each species enough detail to actually mean something beyond just a name on a page. 

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Every bird featured among these birds that start with ‘W’ for preschoolers and kids comes with a picture and a short set of facts worth remembering. Getting to know these ‘W’ letter bird names gives children a natural way to expand their vocabulary while picking up real details about how each species hunts, nests, or calls. Here’s what W has to offer. 

List Of Bird Names That Start With ‘W’

From familiar backyard visitors to birds built for life at sea, birds beginning with ‘W’ cover an impressively wide range. Below is a selection of well-known species, along with facts and sightings to help kids recognise them. 

1. Woodpecker

The woodpecker is a familiar bird known for drilling into tree trunks with its strong beak in search of insects. 

Did You Know?

• Woodpeckers have specially adapted skulls that help absorb the shock of constant pecking. 
• Their long, sticky tongues help pull insects out from under tree bark. 
• Woodpeckers drum on wood both to find food and to communicate with other birds. 
• Some species can peck up to 20 times per second. 

Where You Might See: Woodpeckers are found across forests and wooded areas on nearly every continent except Antarctica and Australia. 

2. Wren

The wren is a tiny, energetic bird known for its surprisingly loud, powerful song for such a small body. 

Did You Know?

• Despite weighing only a few grams, wrens have one of the loudest songs relative to size of any bird. 
• Male wrens often build several nests before a female chooses her favourite. 
• Wrens tend to hold their short tails upright while hopping through undergrowth. 
• They are one of the most common small birds across many regions. 

Where You Might See: Wrens are widely found across the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, often in gardens, hedgerows, and woodlands. 

3. Woodpigeon

The woodpigeon is a large, plump pigeon known for its soft, repetitive cooing call and distinctive white neck patch. 

Did You Know?

• Woodpigeons are one of the largest and most common pigeon species in Europe. 
• They produce a special “crop milk” to feed their chicks. 
• Woodpigeons feed mainly on leaves, seeds, and crops, sometimes causing damage to farmland. 
• Their wings make a loud clattering sound when they take off suddenly. 

Where You Might See: Woodpigeons are widely found across the United Kingdom and Europe, particularly in gardens, parks, and farmland. 

4. Warbler

The warbler is a small, active songbird known for its constant movement through leaves and branches while hunting insects. 

Did You Know?

• Many warbler species look quite similar, making their distinct songs the easiest way to tell them apart. 
• Warblers mainly feed on small insects and caterpillars. 
• Several species undertake long migrations between breeding and wintering grounds. 
• Their constant flitting movement makes them tricky to photograph. 

Where You Might See: Warblers are found across the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, particularly in woodlands and reedbeds. 

5. Whooper Swan

The whooper swan is a large, elegant waterbird known for its loud, trumpeting call and bright yellow beak markings. 

Did You Know?

• Whooper swans migrate thousands of kilometres between their Arctic breeding grounds and wintering areas. 
• Their loud, bugling call carries over long distances across open water. 
• Whooper swans fly in a distinctive V-formation during migration. 
• Unlike mute swans, they are far more vocal and easily identified by call. 

Where You Might See: Whooper swans are found across northern Europe and Asia, migrating to the United Kingdom and other milder regions for winter. 

6. Wood Duck

The wood duck is a strikingly colourful duck, with males displaying an extravagant mix of green, purple, and white feathers. 

Did You Know?

• Wood ducks nest in tree cavities, sometimes far from water. 
• Newly hatched ducklings jump directly from the nest to the ground, sometimes from great heights, without injury. 
• Male wood ducks are considered among the most colourful waterfowl in North America. 
• They are strong, agile fliers capable of manoeuvring through dense forest. 

Where You Might See: Wood ducks are commonly found across wooded wetlands and rivers in the United States and Canada. 

7. Whimbrel

The whimbrel is a medium-sized wading bird known for its long, downward-curving beak and distinctive striped head. 

Did You Know?

• Whimbrels use their curved beaks to extract crabs and other small creatures from burrows. 
• They travel incredible distances during migration, often flying non-stop over open ocean. 
• Whimbrels have a fast, rolling call made up of several short whistles. 
• Their striped head pattern helps distinguish them from similar wading birds. 

Where You Might See: Whimbrels are found along coastlines in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, particularly during migration. 

8. White Stork

The white stork is a tall, elegant wading bird long associated with folklore about delivering babies. 

Did You Know? 

• White storks are mostly silent, communicating instead by clattering their beaks together. 
• They build enormous nests, often on rooftops and chimneys, reused for many years. 
• White storks fly with their necks fully extended, unlike herons. 
• They migrate thousands of kilometres between Europe and Africa each year. 

Where You Might See: White storks are found across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia, particularly near wetlands and open farmland. 

9. Whippoorwill

The whippoorwill is a well-camouflaged nocturnal bird known for its repetitive, whistling call that gives the bird its name. 

Did You Know?

• Whippoorwills rest flat along the ground or on branches during the day, relying entirely on camouflage. 
• They catch flying insects mid-air with their wide, gaping mouths. 
• Whippoorwills are most active during twilight hours. 
• Their call can repeat continuously for minutes without pause. 

Where You Might See: Whippoorwills are found across the eastern United States, particularly in dry, open woodlands. 

10. Willow Warbler

The willow warbler is a small, olive-green songbird known for its gently descending, wistful song. 

Did You Know?

• Willow warblers migrate incredible distances each year, travelling between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. 
• They are almost identical in appearance to the chiffchaff, distinguished mainly by song. 
• Willow warblers mainly feed on small insects found among leaves. 
• They moult their feathers twice a year, unusual among small songbirds. 

Where You Might See: Willow warblers are widely found across the United Kingdom and northern Europe during the breeding season. 

11. Wandering Albatross

The wandering albatross is a massive seabird known for having the largest wingspan of any living bird. 

Did You Know?

• Wandering albatrosses can have a wingspan of over 3 metres, the largest of any bird alive today. 
• They can glide for hours over the ocean without flapping their wings. 
• Wandering albatrosses can live for over 50 years. 
• They spend most of their life at sea, only returning to land to breed. 

Where You Might See: Wandering albatrosses are found across the Southern Ocean, particularly near islands in the sub-Antarctic region. 

12. Water Rail

The water rail is a secretive marsh bird known for its long, reddish beak and unsettling, pig-like squealing call. 

Did You Know?

• Water rails are far more often heard than seen, thanks to their preference for dense reedbeds. 
• Their squealing call has earned them the nickname “sharming pig.” 
• Water rails use their long beak to probe mud for insects and small invertebrates. 
• They can swim short distances despite spending most of their time on foot. 

Where You Might See: Water rails are found across wetlands in the United Kingdom, Europe, and parts of Asia. 

13. Wattled Jacana

The wattled jacana is a wading bird known for its extremely long toes, which allow it to walk across floating lily pads without sinking. 

Did You Know?

• A wattled jacana’s long toes spread its weight evenly, letting it walk on floating vegetation. 
• Males take on the main responsibility of incubating eggs and raising chicks. 
• Wattled jacanas are sometimes nicknamed “lily-trotters” because of how they move across water plants. 
• They feed mainly on insects and small aquatic creatures. 

Where You Might See: Wattled jacanas are found in wetlands across Central and South America. 

14. Western Meadowlark

The western meadowlark is a songbird known for its bright yellow chest marked with a bold black V-shaped band. 

Did You Know?

• Western meadowlarks are known for their clear, flute-like, bubbling song. 
• They build well-hidden, dome-shaped nests directly on the ground. 
• Meadowlarks mainly feed on insects and seeds found in grasslands. 
• Despite their bright colouring, they can be surprisingly difficult to spot in tall grass. 

Where You Might See: Western meadowlarks are commonly found across grasslands and farmland in the western United States. 

15. Waxwing

The waxwing is a sleek, crested songbird known for its smooth feathers and the bright red, waxy tips on its wings. 

Did You Know?

• Waxwings mainly feed on berries and can sometimes become mildly intoxicated from overripe fruit. 
• They often travel in large, tight-knit flocks. 
• Waxwings are known for their habit of passing berries to one another before eating. 
• Their name comes from the small, red, wax-like tips found on their wing feathers. 

Where You Might See: Waxwings are found across the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and North America, particularly in orchards and gardens during winter. 

More ‘W’ Letter Birds

Beyond this list, the letter W covers several more ‘W’ starting birds’ names, many of which are lesser known but just as interesting to discover. The table below rounds up 20 additional species. 

Birds That Start With ‘W’ – Chart

Trying to sort out what bird starts with the letter ‘W’? The chart below brings together every species this guide has covered for a quick browse.  

FAQs

1. Why Do Wood Duck Chicks Jump From The Nest Right After Hatching? 

Wood ducks nest in tree cavities, sometimes high above the ground, so newly hatched ducklings must jump down to reach water or open ground; their light weight and soft down help cushion the fall. 

2. How Can You Tell A Willow Warbler Apart From A Chiffchaff? 

Since the two species look nearly identical, birdwatchers rely almost entirely on song; the willow warbler has a soft, descending, wistful tune, while the chiffchaff repeats its own name in a simple, two-note call. 

3. Why Is The Wandering Albatross Able To Fly For Hours Without Flapping? 

Its enormous wingspan, the largest of any living bird, lets the wandering albatross lock its wings in place and ride rising air currents over the ocean, covering huge distances with barely any effort. 

4. Why Does The Water Rail Have Such An Unusual Nickname? 

The water rail’s squealing, pig-like call is so distinctive that it earned the nickname “sharming pig,” even though the bird itself is rarely seen thanks to its preference for staying hidden in reedbeds. 

W turns out to be a genuinely rewarding letter, pairing everyday names like the woodpecker and wren with record-holders like the wandering albatross. These bird names starting with ‘W’ offer plenty to add to kids’ vocabulary, particularly with so many unusual calls and habits worth pointing out along the way.