You’re walking through a park in Mexico City when a bird lands nearby. Your Spanish-speaking friend points and says “¡Mira ese pájaro!” You nod enthusiastically, but inside you’re thinking: okay, that’s definitely a bird, but which bird? There’s a massive difference between pointing at a pigeon and calling it an eagle. One makes you look observant, the other makes you look ridiculous.
Learning bird names in Spanish opens up nature conversations, helps you understand regional wildlife references, and prevents you from accidentally calling someone’s pet parrot a chicken. By the end of this guide, you’ll know 40+ common birds, understand the difference between pájaro and ave, and even learn what sounds Spanish birds make (spoiler: they don’t say “tweet”).
Quick Primer
Spanish has two main words for birds, and knowing when to use each one matters. El pájaro /el ˈpa.xa.ɾo/ refers to smaller flying birds—your sparrows, robins, and finches. El ave /el ˈa.βe/ is the broader scientific term covering all birds, especially larger ones or flightless species like ostriches and penguins.
Here’s the technical breakdown: pájaros are passeriformes, which means perching birds with three toes pointing forward and one pointing back. Aves is the entire biological class of birds. A penguin is definitely an ave but nobody calls it a pájaro. An eagle could be either, but most Spanish speakers would call it an ave because of its size.
In everyday conversation, most Spanish speakers use pájaro for any small bird they see hopping around. Save ave for formal contexts, poetry, or when discussing large birds. Saying “vi un ave en el parque” sounds overly formal unless you spotted something impressive like a hawk.
One quirk to watch: ave is feminine but uses the masculine article el in singular form. This happens because ave starts with a stressed “a” sound, and two stressed a’s back-to-back sound clunky. So you say el ave but las aves. Spanish phonetics being helpful for once.
Common Backyard Birds
These birds appear everywhere from city parks to rural gardens. Learn these and you can identify most birds you’ll encounter casually.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| el gorrión | /el ɡoˈrjon/ | sparrow |
| la paloma | /la paˈlo.ma/ | pigeon/dove |
| el petirrojo | /el pe.tiˈro.xo/ | robin |
| la golondrina | /la ɡo.lonˈdɾi.na/ | swallow |
| el mirlo | /el ˈmiɾ.lo/ | blackbird |
| el ruiseñor | /el rwi.seˈɲoɾ/ | nightingale |
| el colibrí | /el ko.li.ˈβɾi/ | hummingbird |
| el jilguero | /el xil.ˈɣe.ɾo/ | goldfinch |
| el canario | /el ka.ˈna.ɾjo/ | canary |
| la urraca | /la uˈra.ka/ | magpie |
The gorrión is probably the most common bird you’ll see in Spanish-speaking cities. They’re those small brown birds that hang around outdoor cafés hoping for crumbs. Calling them pájaros works perfectly fine.
Palomas dominate city squares everywhere. In English we distinguish between pigeons and doves, but Spanish uses paloma for both. If you need to be specific, say paloma bravía /paˈlo.ma βɾaˈβi.a/ for rock pigeon or paloma torcaz /paˈlo.ma toɾˈkaθ/ for wood pigeon.
The colibrí deserves special mention because hummingbirds are spectacular. They hover in midair, fly backward, and their hearts beat over 1,000 times per minute. Latin America has over 300 hummingbird species, making them cultural icons. You’ll see colibrí imagery everywhere from jewelry to murals.
Ruiseñores have legendary status in Spanish literature and music. Their beautiful singing inspired countless poems. When someone sings beautifully, you might hear “canta como un ruiseñor” (sings like a nightingale). It’s the ultimate compliment.
Farmyard and Domestic Birds
Anyone who’s visited a farm or read children’s books in Spanish needs these birds. They’re culturally important and appear constantly in expressions and stories.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| el gallo | /el ˈɡa.ʝo/ | rooster |
| la gallina | /la ɡaˈʝi.na/ | hen |
| el pollo | /el ˈpo.ʝo/ | chicken (young) |
| el pato | /el ˈpa.to/ | duck |
| el ganso | /el ˈɡan.so/ | goose |
| el pavo | /el ˈpa.βo/ | turkey |
| el cisne | /el ˈsis.ne/ | swan |
| la paloma mensajera | /la paˈlo.ma men.saˈxe.ɾa/ | carrier pigeon |
Roosters have massive cultural presence. The gallo appears in folklore, idioms, and everyday expressions. Someone who’s cocky or showing off is “muy gallo” in some regions. Roosters also mark dawn—when the gallo canta, morning has arrived.
The distinction between gallina, gallo, and pollo matters. Gallina is specifically female chicken, gallo is male, and pollo refers to young chickens or chicken meat. Ordering pollo in a restaurant gets you chicken on your plate, not someone’s pet rooster.
Pavo means turkey, but it’s also slang in some countries. In Mexico, calling someone “pavo” suggests they’re naive or foolish. Context determines whether you’re discussing Thanksgiving dinner or insulting someone’s intelligence.
Cisnes represent elegance and grace. The expression “el canto del cisne” (the swan’s song) refers to someone’s final performance or last great act, borrowed from the myth that swans sing beautifully just before dying. They don’t actually do this, but Spanish kept the poetic expression anyway.
Birds of Prey
These predatory birds command respect. They’re impressive, powerful, and appear frequently in heraldry, flags, and national symbols.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| el águila | /el ˈa.ɣi.la/ | eagle |
| el halcón | /el alˈkon/ | falcon |
| el gavilán | /el ɡa.βiˈlan/ | sparrowhawk |
| el búho | /el ˈbu.o/ | owl |
| la lechuza | /la leˈtʃu.sa/ | barn owl |
| el buitre | /el ˈbwi.tɾe/ | vulture |
| el cóndor | /el ˈkon.doɾ/ | condor |
Eagles appear on the Mexican flag, making el águila one of the most symbolically important birds in Spanish-speaking culture. The Aztec legend of founding Tenochtitlan centered on an eagle devouring a snake while perched on a cactus. That image defines Mexican national identity.
Notice that águila is feminine but uses el in singular: el águila. Add this to the list of Spanish’s phonetic quirks that keep you on your toes.
Búhos and lechuzas both mean owl, but they’re different species. Búho typically refers to larger owls with ear tufts, while lechuza refers to barn owls and similar species. Both birds appear in superstitions—some cultures consider them bad omens, while others see them as symbols of wisdom.
Buitres get a bad reputation as scavengers, but they’re ecologically crucial. They clean up carrion and prevent disease spread. Calling someone a buitre in Spanish suggests they’re opportunistic or exploitative, waiting to benefit from others’ misfortune.
Water Birds
These birds live near oceans, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. If you’re traveling to coastal areas, you’ll encounter them constantly.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| la gaviota | /la ɡaˈβjo.ta/ | seagull |
| el pelícano | /el pe.ˈli.ka.no/ | pelican |
| el flamenco | /el fla.ˈmeŋ.ko/ | flamingo |
| la garza | /la ˈɣaɾ.sa/ | heron |
| el pato silvestre | /el ˈpa.to silˈβes.tɾe/ | mallard |
| el cormorán | /el koɾ.moˈɾan/ | cormorant |
| el pingüino | /el piŋˈɡwi.no/ | penguin |
Gaviotas are the beach birds that steal your french fries. They’re opportunistic, loud, and surprisingly aggressive when food is involved. Coastal Spanish speakers have a love-hate relationship with them.
Flamencos are iconic pink birds that stand on one leg for reasons scientists still debate. They get their pink color from the shrimp they eat. Chile and Bolivia host massive flamingo populations in their salt flats, creating stunning pink landscapes.
Pingüinos live in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly around Argentina, Chile, and Antarctica. Patagonia has large penguin colonies that attract tourists. Remember, pingüinos are definitely aves, never pájaros—they don’t fly and they’re not small.
The pelícano has a massive bill and throat pouch for catching fish. Their dramatic diving technique makes them fun to watch. In Spanish, someone with a big mouth or who talks too much might hear “tienes un pico de pelícano.”
Exotic and Tropical Birds
Latin America’s biodiversity means spectacular tropical birds that don’t exist elsewhere. These birds are colorful, loud, and culturally significant.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| el loro | /el ˈlo.ɾo/ | parrot |
| el papagayo | /el pa.paˈɣa.ʝo/ | macaw |
| el tucán | /el tuˈkan/ | toucan |
| el quetzal | /el keˈtsal/ | quetzal |
| la guacamaya | /la ɡwa.kaˈma.ʝa/ | macaw |
Loros are parrots, and they’re popular pets across Spanish-speaking countries. They’re intelligent, social, and can mimic human speech. Having a loro that speaks Spanish is pretty meta.
The quetzal holds mythological status in Central America. This stunning green bird with long tail feathers was sacred to the Maya and Aztec. Guatemala’s currency is called the quetzal. The bird appears in national symbols and folk art throughout the region.
Tucanes with their massive colorful beaks are instantly recognizable. They’re fruit-eaters native to Central and South American rainforests. Their beaks look heavy but are actually hollow and lightweight. Toucan Sam made them famous worldwide, but they’re legitimately impressive birds.
Bird Sounds in Spanish
Here’s where things get fun. Birds don’t actually make different sounds in Spanish-speaking countries, but Spanish speakers interpret those sounds differently. Where English hears “tweet tweet,” Spanish hears pío pío.
| Bird | Spanish Sound | English Sound |
| small birds | pío pío | tweet tweet |
| rooster | quiquiriquí | cock-a-doodle-doo |
| duck | cua cua | quack quack |
| owl | uu uu | hoot hoot |
| crow | cra cra | caw caw |
| chicken | cloc cloc | cluck cluck |
The rooster’s quiquiriquí /ki.ki.ɾiˈki/ is my favorite. It sounds nothing like “cock-a-doodle-doo” yet somehow represents the same noise. Spanish speakers genuinely hear “kee-kee-ree-KEE” when roosters crow. This cultural difference in sound interpretation fascinates linguists.
Birds piar /pjaɾ/ (to chirp) or cantar /kanˈtaɾ/ (to sing). You can say “los pájaros pían en la mañana” (the birds chirp in the morning) or “el ruiseñor canta hermoso” (the nightingale sings beautifully). Cantar works for humans too, making birds and people linguistic equals in their ability to sing.
Useful Bird Phrases
These expressions help you talk about birds in natural conversation. They cover identification, description, and action.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| ver pájaros | /beɾ ˈpa.xa.ɾos/ | to see birds/go birdwatching |
| un nido | /um ˈni.ðo/ | a nest |
| las plumas | /las ˈplu.mas/ | feathers |
| el pico | /el ˈpi.ko/ | beak |
| las alas | /las ˈa.las/ | wings |
| volar | /boˈlaɾ/ | to fly |
| posarse | /poˈsaɾ.se/ | to perch |
| migrar | /miˈɣɾaɾ/ | to migrate |
If you want to say you’re going birdwatching, use “voy a observar aves” /boj a oβ.seɾˈβaɾ ˈa.βes/ or “voy a ver pájaros.” Bird nerds exist in Spanish too—they call themselves ornitólogos /oɾ.ni.toˈlo.ɣos/ (ornithologists) or aficionados a las aves /a.fi.sjo.ˈna.ðos a las ˈa.βes/ (bird enthusiasts).
Describing birds requires physical vocabulary. Las plumas can be coloridas /ko.lo.ˈɾi.ðas/ (colorful) or brillantes /bɾiˈʝan.tes/ (bright). El pico can be largo /ˈlaɾ.ɣo/ (long), corto /ˈkoɾ.to/ (short), or curvo /ˈkuɾ.βo/ (curved). Building these descriptive skills helps you identify birds and discuss what you see.
Region Notes
Bird names stay relatively consistent across Spanish-speaking countries, but some regional variations and cultural differences exist.
Mexican Spanish uses specific terms for local species not found elsewhere. The zanate /saˈna.te/ (great-tailed grackle) is ubiquitous in Mexico but doesn’t exist in Spain. Regional birds develop regional names that other Spanish speakers might not recognize.
Spain’s bird vocabulary sometimes differs from Latin American usage. Spaniards might use different terms for the same bird, or the same word might refer to different species. Cross-checking regional bird guides helps when traveling between countries.
Pronunciation variations affect bird names minimally since most are short, simple words. The biggest difference is the ll sound in words like gallo and pollo—Spain says “GAH-yo,” while Latin America ranges from “GAH-yo” to “GAH-sho” depending on the country.
Culturally, different birds hold significance in different regions. The quetzal matters enormously in Guatemala but less in Argentina. The condor is Chile’s national bird. The turpial is Venezuela’s national bird. Understanding these cultural connections adds depth to your bird vocabulary.
Mini Dialogues
Here’s how bird names appear in real conversations.
Dialogue 1: At the Park
¿Qué tipo de pájaro es ese?
/ke ˈti.po ðe ˈpa.xa.ɾo es ˈe.se/
What type of bird is that?
Creo que es un mirlo. Tiene plumas negras.
/ˈkɾe.o ke es um ˈmiɾ.lo ˈtje.ne ˈplu.mas ˈne.ɣɾas/
I think it’s a blackbird. It has black feathers.
¡Qué bonito! Me gustan los pájaros.
/ke bo.ˈni.to me ˈɡus.tan los ˈpa.xa.ɾos/
How pretty! I like birds.
Dialogue 2: Hearing Birds
¿Escuchas esos pájaros cantando?
/es.ˈku.tʃas ˈe.sos ˈpa.xa.ɾos kan.ˈtan.do/
Do you hear those birds singing?
Sí, creo que son gorriones. Siempre cantan en la mañana.
/si ˈkɾe.o ke som ɡoˈrjo.nes ˈsjem.pɾe ˈkan.tan en la ma.ˈɲa.na/
Yes, I think they’re sparrows. They always sing in the morning.
Me encanta despertarme con el sonido de los pájaros.
/me eŋ.ˈkan.ta ðes.peɾˈtaɾ.me kon el so.ˈni.ðo ðe los ˈpa.xa.ɾos/
I love waking up to the sound of birds.
Quick Reference
Screenshot this table for your next nature walk or park visit.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| el pájaro | /el ˈpa.xa.ɾo/ | bird (small) |
| el ave | /el ˈa.βe/ | bird (general/large) |
| el gorrión | /el ɡoˈrjon/ | sparrow |
| la paloma | /la paˈlo.ma/ | pigeon/dove |
| el gallo | /el ˈɡa.ʝo/ | rooster |
| el águila | /el ˈa.ɣi.la/ | eagle |
| el búho | /el ˈbu.o/ | owl |
| la gaviota | /la ɡaˈβjo.ta/ | seagull |
| el loro | /el ˈlo.ɾo/ | parrot |
| volar | /boˈlaɾ/ | to fly |
Five-Minute Practice Plan
Turn this vocabulary into active knowledge with these quick exercises.
- Next time you’re outside, identify three birds you see. Try naming them in Spanish using this guide. Even if you just point and say “ese pájaro,” you’re practicing.
- Watch a two-minute nature video in Spanish on YouTube. Listen for bird names and sounds. Notice how Spanish speakers describe what they see.
- Draw or find pictures of five different birds and label them with their Spanish names. Visual memory helps cement vocabulary.
- Practice bird sounds. Say “pío pío” and “quiquiriquí” out loud. Yes, it’s silly. That’s exactly why it works—making yourself laugh helps memory.
- Make up a short story involving three birds from this guide. “El gorrión vio un águila y voló al árbol” (The sparrow saw an eagle and flew to the tree). Speaking in sentences beats memorizing lists.
Your Feathered Vocabulary Takes Flight
You now know 40+ bird names, understand the pájaro versus ave distinction, and can identify common species from sparrows to eagles. More importantly, you can participate in nature conversations, understand regional wildlife references, and avoid calling someone’s parakeet a chicken.
Birds connect to culture, folklore, idioms, and daily life across Spanish-speaking countries. The next time you hear someone say “canta como un ruiseñor” or see an águila on the Mexican flag, you’ll understand the reference. That’s the difference between memorizing vocabulary and actually understanding a language. Now get outside and see what pájaros you can find.