All White Birds

Some of the most stunning birds in the world are white, they are easy to spot with their white plumage, almost angelic and if you are lucky enough to see one or more of them, it can be an exciting moment. 

This article lists 14 all white birds. I have included some of the most well known and some you may not have come across before, along with pictures to aid identification. I will include information on the size of these birds, where you are likely to find them, and their diet. We also have to bear in mind that while some of these birds are all white, some can have seasonal changes and sometimes differences between male, female and juveniles. 

Gyrfalcon

As the largest of the falcon species, this bird is the most stunning and majestic bird of prey. The Gyrfalcon has been used in falconry for many years and also used as gifts to and from royal personnel for hundreds of years as the bird was looked upon as being exotic. 

Measurements

Length: 48-65cms 

Wingspan: 110-160 cms

Weight: 805-2100g

Native to

Northern Canada, Greenland, Siberia

Habitat

Arctic & subantarctic mountains, & tundra

Diet

Mainly Ptarmigan, other birds

Male Snowy owl

Female Snowy owl

The snowy owl is an iconic white bird, a magnificent looking bird with stunning yellow eyes, they are well known and loved by all. As you can see from both pictures above there are some differences with the whiteness of their plumage. Younger males can have dark brown bars on them which will disappear as they get older and become almost totally white. The females however can keep their darker markings all their lives. Their plumage is heavy and thick and long due to the climates they live in, they have to cope with temperatures as low as -40, their beaks are shorter and more hook-like than other owls and are covered in feathers as well as their feet for added protection.

Measurements

Length: 52-71 cms

Wingspan: 125 – 164 cms

Weight: 1134 – 2000g

Native to

Arctic regions of North America, Northern Eurasia, have been spotted in Scottish isles, as a rare winter visitor

Habitat

Arctic tundra, open grasslands, 

Diet

Mainly lemmings and other small rodents and rabbits.  

Mute swan

Elegance and beauty, we see in this famous swan with their bright orange beaks and all white plumage. With this large swan the male and females appear the same, however the males are larger with a slightly longer head and body. These birds tend to be monogamous and mate for life and will change partners if one dies. .  

A fact you might be unaware of, is the crown has the right to claim any unmarked mute swans  in the country, swimming in open waters and has been this way since the 12th century. 

Measurements

Length: 127-152 cms

Wingspan: 200-240 cms

Weight: 5500g – 14300g

Native to

In Europe & UK, they have been introduced to other countries such as North America where they are known as invasive species. 

Habitat

Rivers, Lakes, Canals, parks, 

Diet

Aquatic vegetation

Bewick swan

Another beautiful white swan is the Bewick swan as seen above. These are known to be the smallest and rarest of the swan family, with their yellow and black bills they are quite a handsome swan to see. 

Measurements

Length: 115-127 cms

Wingspan: 170 – 195 cms

Weight: 6000g

Native to

Native to Russia and winter visitor to UK

Habitat

Rivers, lakes

Diet

Aquatic vegetation and grass

Whooper swan

A swan similar to the Bewick swan, however these swans are larger than the Bewicks, they also have a longer neck with more of a bend to it. The yellow orange colour on the  bill is longer also. Another elegant swan. 

Measurements

Length: 140-160 cms

Wingspan: 205-235 cms

Weight: 9000g-11000g

Native to

Native to Iceland and winters in UK & Ireland

Habitat

Rivers, lakes, parks

Diet

Aquatic vegetation

Trumpeter Swan

The Trumpeter swan is another striking large white swan, in fact it is the largest species of swan in North America. As shown in the picture above they are all white with a black bill and black legs. 

Measurements

Length: 138-158 cms

Wingspan: 203 cms

Weight: 7700-12700g

Native to

North America

Habitat

Wetlands, Ice free coastal and inland waters

Diet

Aquatic vegetation

Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is of the Heron family. A splendid all white bird, with yellow eyes and yellow flash above its bill makes this bird standout. They also have black legs and yellow feet. The plumage seen in the above picture shows the birds breeding feathers, these are long splendid feathers which the birds used to be hunted for to use in fashion. 

Measurements

Length: 56-66 cms

Wingspan: 100 cms

Weight: 370g

Native to

North, Central & South America

Habitat

Freshwater &  saltwater habitats, such as lakes, swamps, marshes, sheltered bays 

Diet

Aquatic vegetation, fish, shrimp, snails, crayfish, snakes, small lizards and frogs

Little Egret

The little egret as seen in the picture above, is similar to the snowy egret, it has all white plumage, they also black legs and yellow feet, but have a paler yellow eye and no yellow flash on their face. As with the previous egret these to where hunted for their breeding feathers, however in 1913 a law ended the plume trade and they and many other species were protected further by the migratory bird Act of 1919. 

Measurements

Length: 55-65 cms

Wingspan: 88-106 cms

Weight: 350-550g

Native to

Europe, Middle east, south Asia

Habitat

Lakes, rivers, canals, ponds, flooded fields, lagoons, marshes

Diet

In the main fish, will take amphibians, small reptiles, molluscs, spiders, worms & insects

Great Egret

Another beautiful all white bird is the Great Egret. Similar to the little egret, and of the  heron family, however as you can see from the measurement and its name this is somewhat larger. They have an orange-yellow bill and standout yellow eyes. 

Measurements

Length: 94cms

Wingspan:155cms

Weight: 870g

Native to

Europe, Asia, USA

Habitat

Wetlands, swamps, lakes, water ways

Diet

Fish, amphibians, small mammals and birds

American White Ibis

This unusual looking bird looks all white while standing as in the above picture, however in flight we do see they have black tipped wings, but we will still allow them in our list. They have standout blue eyes and their legs and bills are pink as is the bare skin around their eyes. The shape of the bill is downward pointing and thin which is perfect for probing in the mud, water and cracks to hunt for food.  

Measurements

Length: 65cms

Wingspan: 95 cms

Weight: 872g – 1261g

Native to

North America, central America

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, coastal estuaries, swamped, mangroves, flooded plains.  

Diet

Fish, crabs, crayfish, snakes, frogs

Whooping crane

Another elegant bird is the Whooping crane, this is the tallest bird in North America at around 5ft tall and has been pushed to the edge of extinction, however there has been some recovery with conservation efforts instigated. As seen in the picture above its plumage is mainly white, they have a red crown and a moustache stripe. They are long legged and long necked.

Measurements

Length: 1.3 – 1.6m

Wingspan: 2 -2.3m

Weight: 4.5 – 8.5kg

Native to

North America, Restricted range to Canada’s buffalo national park and wintering in Texas gulf coast or Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

Habitat

Swamp woods, wet forests, marshes

Diet

Fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, roots, berries, insects, crustaceans, molluscs

White Cockatoo (Umbrella Cockatoo)

As its name suggests you would think that this is an all white bird, however as you can see from the picture above it does have some lemon coloured feathers under their wings and tail. As with most cockatoo and parrots these are delightful showy birds. The picture above also shows the bird with its crest erect, which happens when they are alarmed or excited. 

Measurements

Length: 46 cms

Wingspan: 25-31 cms

Weight: 500 – 630g

Native to

Indonesia 

Habitat

Tropical rain forests

Diet

Seed, fruits, berries, roots

Ivory Gull

Ivory Gull adults are entirely white with a yellow tipped bill as seen in the picture above. 

They have black eyes and legs. 

Measurements

Length: 44 cms 

Wingspan: 42-47 cms

Weight: 400-500g

Native to

Arctic Canada, Greenland, Northern Islands of Russia

Habitat

Ice filled waters

Diet

Fish, Marine invertebrates, also scavenge on carcases

Red-Billed Tropic

This mainly white bird has a red bill as suggested by its name. Also as you can see from the above picture it has a black stripe across its eyes and black to the edges of its wings, and long white tail streamers. 

Measurements

Length: 90-105 cms including tail

Wingspan: 99 -106cms

Weight: 771g

Native to

Tropical Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, & Indian Oceans

Habitat

Tropical island when breeding, islands and rocky cliffs

Diet

Fish & squid

In Summary

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article on all white birds. We have looked at how to identify them, where in the world they are and the habitats and diets. 

I do hope that it may have inspired you to go looking for white birds in your locality.

If you have any feedback or questions on this or any other article please leave a comment or email.