In the English alphabet, there are relatively few words that begin with X. Names of birds that start with X are similarly uncommon. In fact, we could only find four currently living species who’s common name begins with an X. Interestingly, they are each found on a different continent. One in North America, one in South America, one in Africa, and one in Asia.
Let’s have a look!
4 Birds that start with X
1. Xingu Scale-Backed Antbird
Scientific name: Willisornis vidua
Lives in: Brazil (south-eastern Amazon)
Males have a gray head and body, and a black back and tail marked with rows of white spots. Females have a lighter throat and instead of the dark back with spots, they have a plain brown back and tail. These antbirds like to hang out in pairs in the forest understory. Despite their name, they don’t exclusively eat ants. What their diet is isn’t very well studied but it is believed to be mostly insects.
Fun fact: Xingu’s will often show up at ant swarms to eat the insects that are trying to escape the ants.
2. Xavier’s Greenbul
Scientific name: Phyllastrephus xavieri
Lives in: central Africa
Xavier’s Greenbul is only known to live in parts of central Africa such as Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Uganda. They have an olive-brownish back with a yellow chest and belly. These greenbul’s mainly eat beetles, spiders, caterpillars and moths and supplement with fruit and seeds. They live in tropical or subtropical dry forests or moist lowland forests.
Fun fact: In their small range they often live in protected habitat within park