We see some birds more than others.
Like it seems there's always a pigeon or a sparrow nearby.
But what bird is the most abundant bird in the world?
Let's find out!
Let's start with a bird that is estimated at over 300 million individuals - the American
Robin.
This bird only lives in North America
But it's so abundant in that range that it is one of the most common birds in the world.
By the way, American Robins are not related to European Robins or Australian Robins.
They are all called robins because they look kind of the same.
But they're different birds.
Next we go to pigeons.
There are LOTS of species of pigeons, but the most numerous is Columba livia, the rock
pigeon.
The bird you think of when you hear pigeon.
These birds naturally nest on cliff faces and eat seeds.
But they have adapted extremely well to the vertical surfaces of cities.
Their native range is in dark red here.
But as humans have spread, pigeons have become a common sight worldwide.
There are an estimated 400 million pigeons in the world.
The next most common bird is a human raised one.
The Turkey.
There is a wild variety of turkey.
And there are about 7 million of those thanks to a spectacular conservation program that
saved them from extinction.
Then there is the Domestic Turkey.
It's the same species, but looks different due to selective breeding by humans.
And there are a LOT more Domestic Turkeys.
In 2018 there were 467 million Domestic Turkeys raised.
We're going by calendar year because, unfortunately, they were not all alive at the same time,
being raised for human food.
Next is one that surprised me - the Mourning Dove!
These small, unassuming birds are also technically pigeons.
And there are an estimated 475 million of them in North America, plus introduced populations
in Europe.
The mourning dove's key to success seems to be prolific breeding.
Each pair of mourning doves can raise up to six clutches per year, with three to four
chicks per clutch.
They are not famous for longevity though.
The oldest known banded mourning dove was over 19 years old.
But their average lifespan is only one and a half years.
That does not stop them from being one of the most abundant birds on Earth.
Then there are sparrows.
There are many species of sparrows, but you probably think of just one.
The House Sparrow.
There are an estimated 1.4 Billion House Sparrows in the world.
These birds are native to Europe but have been introduced many times to different areas.
They now exist on every continent, many islands, and basically everywhere that
humans live.
Strangely, the house sparrow is declining in its native range, but its invasive populations
are everywhere.
Now the world's most abundant bird in its natural environment - the Red-billed Quelea
There are 1.5 Billion Red-bulled Quelea.
This bird is sparrow size, and has similar behavior.
But it only lives in Africa.
Think what that means.
This bird outnumbers the House Sparrow, one of the most common birds on Earth, but only
on one continent.
That means their population density is amazing.
Here is footage of a Red-billed Quelea flock.
These birds forage together for grass seeds.
They also nest together.
They're actually in the weaver family so they weave these hanging nests.
It's amazing to see groups of these birds flying together.
Now we can reveal the single most abundant bird in the world.
It's the Domestic Chicken.
They are raised by humans as the most common form of animal protein, and we also use their
eggs for food.
In 2018, there were 23.7 billion chickens in the world.
These chickens were not all alive at the same time, because the average modern chicken raised
for food lives five to nine weeks.
But their sheer numbers are staggering.
By mass, there are more chickens on Earth than all other birds combined!
Chickens have been domesticated for about eight thousand years and humans have come
to rely on them.
So as humans spread, the chicken has gone with them.
So those are the most abundant birds in the world.
But whether a bird is is abundant or rare, it's important that we treat them with respect.
Even the most common bird can fill us with a sense of wonder.
Thanks for taking the time to learn about the most numerous birds.
You can watch one of the many other bird videos on this channel, and subscribe to make your
bird knowledge increase.
Thanks for stopping by this week to learn what makes Life awesome!