Most people know that the Bald Eagle represents the United States. But can you name the national bird of Argentina or Luxembourg? A total of 114 countries are represented by one avian species or another—whether officially or unofficially. In fact, some have more than one! Despite a representation that feels unique, some countries have feathered friends in common. So let’s go over the world’s national birds, conveniently plotted on the map below.
View National birds in a full screen map
Official vs. Unofficial National Jays, Falcons, and Storks
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Most of the 120 birds on the map are officially designated. Yet some hold only an unofficial status. In total, 91 are official national birds. The remaining 29—though not official—still have meaning to their associated countries. Let’s take a closer look at some of these unofficial birds.
Notably, most Caribbean countries have official national birds, that is, aside from Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican spindalis, also known as reina mora, may be native to the island country, yet it’s still only connected to Puerto Rico unofficially. These birds help in seed dispersal and plant reproduction, making them a key part of the Puerto Rican ecosystem. You can find the species all over the island.
Contrary to the U.S.’s official national bird (the Bald eagle), neighbor-country Canada’s own Canada jay remains unofficial. Canadian Geographic magazine suggested the bird should be validated, but the federal government has yet to acknowledge the proposal.
The 29 countries without an official national bird aren’t only made up of places like Puerto Rico and Canada that have no official national bird. Both Pakistan and Poland have official and unofficial national birds. The Chukar partridge has been officially designated in Pakistan, while the Shaheen falcon is only considered a heritage bird. Moreover, the Polish have anointed the White-tailed eagle officially, though the White stork has yet to be.
Group the map by “Official status” to learn more, because we’re flying to the most bird-happy nations.
Countries with Multiple National Birds
We’ve already mentioned two of the countries with multiple national birds, Pakistan and Poland. Yet there are four more countries that have multiple national birds:
- Trinidad and Tobago: 2 national birds
- Denmark: 2
- Aruba: 2
- Serbia: 2
Trinidad and Tobago’s multiple national birds include the Cocrico and Scarlet ibis, while Denmark’s are that of the Eurasian skylark and Mute swan (while not entirely mute, its name does derive from it being less vocal than other swan species). Aruba, on the other hand, is home to the Prikichi (also known as the Brown-throated Parakeet), along with the Shoco (Burrowing Owl).
As for Serbia, the country’s choices for national birds are the Griffon vulture and Eastern imperial eagle. Speaking of eagles…
Countries with the Same National Storks, Condors, and Eagles
Not only do countries like Aruba and Denmark have multiple national birds, some even share the exact same national bird. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, most of these countries with the same national bird are located near each other, or right next door.
| Bird | No. of countries with this national bird |
|---|---|
| White stork | 4 |
| Andean condor | 4 |
| Golden eagle | 3 |
| African fish eagle | 3 |
| Turquoise-browed motmot | 2 |
| Saker falcon | 2 |
| Eurasian oystercatcher | 2 |
| Common nightingale | 2 |
| Barn swallow | 2 |
What do Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine have in common, other than their borders? Their national bird is the White stork, though, it’s only officially so in Lithuania. Like the White stork, the Andean condor is the national bird of four countries: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. It’s officially recognized in all four countries.
Meanwhile, two more species of national birds, both eagles, are represented by three countries. Specifically, Albania, Mexico, and Scotland have the Golden eagle to represent them, albeit it’s unofficial in Scotland. And then there’s the African fish eagle, the national bird of Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; all are official.
The Turquoise-browed motmot, Saker falcon, Eurasian oystercatcher, Common nightingale, and Barn swallow are the national birds of two countries.
Want less flying and more running? Check out the National Animals of Every Country on a Map, which includes mythical animals like the double-tailed lion.
