Example FAQ
Common American Song Birds
The canary is a small bird known for its singing. Canaries are found wild in the Canary, Azores, and Madeira islands off the coast of northwestern Africa. Hundreds of years ago people caught these wild birds and began breeding them. Over time they have bred hundreds of different kinds of canaries that are sold as pets.
Cardinals are American songbirds known for the male’s bright red feathers. Both the male and the female sing a loud, clear whistling song year-round. The northern cardinal is one of the most common birds of North America. It is related to finches, grosbeaks, and many types of sparrows. Other species, or types, of cardinals live in South America.
Robins are familiar and much-loved songbirds with reddish chest feathers. Several species, or types, of bird are called robins. The best-known types are the American robin and the European robin. Early European settlers in North America named the American robin after the European bird. Both these types belong to the thrush family, along with bluebirds and nightingales. But American and European robins are not closely related.
There are many species, or types, of blackbird—songbirds named for the black color of the males’ feathers. The Old World, or common, blackbird is related to thrushes, robins, and bluebirds. All other types of blackbird are in the same scientific family with grackles, cowbirds, orioles, and meadowlarks. The best-known types are the red-winged blackbird and the yellow-headed blackbird. Although crows and ravens also have black feathers, those birds are not called blackbirds.