Examples of birds with forked tails include Aleutian tern, arctic tern, Arizona woodpecker, ashy storm-petrel, and Asian house-martin.
Split tails, or forked tails, are a common sight among birds. Birds with split tails are a pretty rare sight, but they do exist. This particular type of bird is so named because the tail feathers on one side of its body are considerably longer than those on the other.
While there is no definitive answer as to why these birds have evolved this way, there are several theories that attempt to explain it. Some believe that the split tail helps the birds maneuver more easily in flight.
Examples of Birds with Forked Tails
1. Aleutian Tern
| Scientific Name | Onychoprion aleuticus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | around the Bering Sea and nearby waters, including much of the southern Alaskan coast and Aleutian Islands |
The Aleutian tern is a seabird that is found in the north Pacific Ocean. It gets its name from the Aleutian Islands, where it breeds. This bird has a split tail, with the feathers on one side being much longer than those on the other.
2. Arctic Tern
| Scientific Name | Sterna paradisaea |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Antarctica |
The arctic tern is a good example of a bird with a split tail. The arctic tern is a seabird that spends the majority of its life flying. It has been noted that these birds are able to change direction very quickly and efficiently in-flight using their forked tail.
3. Arizona Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Picoides arizonae |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Arizona |
The Arizona woodpecker is a small-sized woodpecker found in the southwestern United States. This bird has a black body with white stripes running down its back. The tail is long and split, with the feathers on one side being considerably longer than those on the other.
4. Ashy Storm-Petrel
| Scientific Name | Oceanodroma homochroa |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | California and in the adjacent waters |
The Ashy Storm-Petrel is a small seabird that is found in the North Pacific Ocean. It gets its name from its ashy grey plumage and forked tail.
5. Asian House-Martin
| Scientific Name | Delichon dasypus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Japan, the Korean peninsula, southeastern Russia, Mongolia, and China |
The Asian house-martin (Delichon dasypus) is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It breeds in southern Asia from India to Indonesia. It is a resident breeder, often nesting on cliff faces near water.
The adult Asian house-martin is 18–20 cm long with a forked tail. The upperparts are glossy blue-black, and the underparts are pure white. The legs and feet are black. There is a small patch of bare skin around the eye, which is pink in the female and blue in the male.
6. Bahama Swallow
| Scientific Name | Tachycineta cyaneoviridis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the Bahamas |
The Bahama Swallow is a small songbird that is found in the Bahamas. The tail feathers on one side of its body are significantly longer than those on the other, giving it a forked appearance.
7. Bahama Woodstar
| Scientific Name | Calliphlox evelynae |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | The Bahama Archipelago |
One of the birds with a split tail is the Bahama Woodstar. This small, brightly-colored bird is found in the Bahamas and Cuba. It has a forked tail that is about twice as long on one side as it is on the other.
8. Bank Swallow
| Scientific Name | Riparia riparia |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa |
The Bank Swallow is a small songbird that is found in North America. This bird has a forked tail and is known to nest in the cracks and crevices of cliffs.
The long tail feathers on one side help the birds balance while flying near these Vertical surfaces.
9. Barn Swallow
| Scientific Name | Hirundo rustica |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa |
One of the most common birds with a forked tail is the Barn Swallow. These small, agile birds are incredibly adept at flying, and their forked tails may give them an advantage when it comes to maneuvering.
Related Article: Do Barn Swallow Have Red on Head?
10. Black Kite
| Scientific Name | Milvus migrans |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | tropical portions of Australasia, Eurasia, and Africa |
The Black Kite is a raptor or bird of prey. It has a forked tail and is found in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Related Article: Do Black Kite Have Talons?
11. Black Skimmer
| Scientific Name | Rynchops niger |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | coastal areas in Florida such as estuaries, beaches, and sandbars |
The Black Skimmer is a type of bird that has a split tail. The name “skimmer” comes from the fact that this bird skims along the surface of the water while hunting for food.
12. Black Storm-Petrel
| Scientific Name | Oceanodroma melania |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southern California and Mexico |
The Black Storm-Petrel is a small seabird that is found in the Southern Ocean. It gets its name from its dark plumage and its habit of flying low over the waves during storms. This bird has a forked tail, which is believed to help it stabilize itself in strong winds.
13. Black-Capped Vireo
| Scientific Name | Vireo atricapilla |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | throughout the Edwards Plateau and eastern Trans-Pecos regions of Texas |
The Black-Capped Vireo is a small bird that is found in North America. This bird has a black cap on its head and a white stripe that runs from its beak, down its throat, and onto its chest. The Black-Capped Vireo also has a split tail.
14. Black-Chinned Hummingbird
| Scientific Name | Archilochus alexandri |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southern British Columbia in Canada through Idaho and Nevada, south to northern Mexico, and from coastal California, Arizona through Texas |
The Black-chinned Hummingbird is a species of hummingbird that is found in North and South America. The male of this species has a black chin and throat, while the female has a greenish-black chin and throat. These birds are known for their long, forked tails.
Related Article: Do Anna’s Hummingbird Have Green Feathers?
15. Black-Headed Bunting
| Scientific Name | Emberiza melanocephala |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | south-east Europe east to Iran |
The black-headed bunting is a small bird that is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is a member of the Emberizidae family, which includes buntings, finches, and sparrows. The black-headed bunting gets its name from the black stripe that runs through its head.
16. Black-Naped Tern
| Scientific Name | Sterna sumatrana |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | rocky islets near the Singapore coast |
The black-naped tern is a type of seabird that has a forked tail. These birds are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. They get their name from the black stripe that runs down the back of their necks.
17. Black-Whiskered Vireo
| Scientific Name | Vireo altiloquus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southern Florida |
The Black-whiskered Vireo is a small songbird that is found in the southeastern United States. This bird has a black stripe that runs down its cheek and ends at the base of its bill. The back and wings of this bird are green, while the belly is white.
18. Blue-Gray Noddy
| Scientific Name | Procelsterna cerulea |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga (Niua), Tuvalu, and Hawaii |
The Blue-Gray Noddy is a seabird that can be found in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. This bird has a forked tail, with the longest feathers on the outermost part of the fork.
19. Bridled Tern
| Scientific Name | Onychoprion anaethetus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the tropics and subtropics |
The Bridled Tern has a long, forked tail with a dark central stripe. It is a coastal bird that can be found near the shorelines of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
20. Brown-Capped Rosy-Finch
| Scientific Name | Leucosticte australis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Arctic and alpine zones |
Split tails or forked tails are a common trait in many birds, but this North American finch’s tail is particularly unique. The Brown-Capped Rosy-Finch is one of the few birds whose tail fork is asymmetrical. The outer feathers on the right side of the tail are shorter than those on the left side.
21. Brown-Chested Martin
| Scientific Name | Progne tapera |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Colombia south to Argentina |
The Brown-Chested Martin or Zenautha is a South American bird in the swallow family. It has a forked tail and brown upper parts. The underparts are whitish with some dark streaking on the breast and flanks.
22. Carolina Chickadee
| Scientific Name | Poecile carolinensis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North Carolina |
The Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) is a small songbird that is found in the southeastern United States. This little bird has a black cap and bib, white cheeks, gray back and wings, and a rusty-brown underside. The male and female birds look alike
23. Caspian Tern
| Scientific Name | Hydroprogne caspia |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America |
The Caspian tern is a species of tern that can be found in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Caspian tern is the largest member of the tern family. These birds are mostly white with black on their wings and back. The Caspian tern has a forked tail that is longer on one side than the other.
24. Common House-Martin
| Scientific Name | Delichon urbicum |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Europe, northern Africa and temperate regions of Asia |
The Common House-Martin (Delichon urbicum) is a migratory bird that breeds in Europe and Asia. It is a small passerine bird and is a member of the swallow family. The adult has black upperparts, white underparts, and a forked tail.
25. Common Swift
| Scientific Name | Apodidae |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Africa, ending up in Equatorial and Sub-Equatorial Africa |
The Common Swift is a small bird that is similar in appearance to a house martin or swallow. It has dark plumage and a forked tail. TheCommon Swift is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
26. Common Tern
| Scientific Name | Sterna hirundo |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Ontario |
The Common Tern is a seabird that can be found in many parts of the world. The Common Tern has a split tail, with the feathers on one side being much longer than those on the other.
27. Cordilleran Flycatcher
| Scientific Name | Empidonax occidentalis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | western North America, mainly along the Rocky Mountains |
This North American bird has a forked tail with the outer feathers being about twice as long as the central ones.
28. Couch’s Kingbird
| Scientific Name | Tyrannus couchii |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | South Texas |
This is a South American kingbird with a forked tail. The male has a black body with yellow underparts, while the female is grayish-brown with white underparts.
29. Elegant Tern
| Scientific Name | Thalasseus elegans |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | on the Pacific coasts of the southern United States and Mexico and winters south to Peru, Ecuador, and Chile |
The elegant tern is a seabird that is found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The elegant tern gets its name from its long, slender body and forked tail. This bird can be found near coasts and in inland waterways, where it feeds on fish.
30. Eurasian Skylark
| Scientific Name | Alauda arvensis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | across Europe and the Palearctic with introduced populations in New Zealand, Australia, and on the Hawaiian Islands |
The Eurasian skylark is a small passerine bird. The adult male has a forked tail with the outer feathers being much longer than the inner feathers.
More Examples Of Birds with Forked Tails
- Eyebrowed Thrush
- Fork-Tailed Flycatcher
- Fork-Tailed Storm-Petrel
- Fork-Tailed Swift
- Gilded Flicker
- Golden-Crowned Kinglet
- Golden-Fronted Woodpecker
- Gray Kingbird
- Gray-Backed Tern
- Gray-Cheeked Thrush
- Gray-headed Chickadee
- Great Frigatebird
- Greater Crested Tern
- Gull-Billed Tern
- Large-Billed Tern
- Leach’s Storm-Petrel
- Least Tern
- Lesser Frigatebird
- Little Tern
- Lucifer Hummingbird
- Magnificent Frigatebird
- Mariana Swiftlet
- Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrel
- Mexican Chickadee
- Mexican Jay
- Mountain Chickadee
- Nutting’s Flycatcher
- Olive-Backed Pipit
- Plumbeous Vireo
- Red Kite
- Red-Flanked Bluetail
- Ringed Kingfisher
- Rivoli’s Hummingbird
- Roseate Tern
- Royal Tern
- Rufous-Capped Warbler
- Sandwich Tern
- Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher
- Sland Scrub-Jay
- Sooty Tern
- Swainson’s Thrush
- Swainson’s Warbler
- Swallow-Tailed Kite
- Thick-Billed Kingbird
- Thick-Billed Vireo
- Townsend’s Solitaire
- Tree Swallow
- Tropical Kingbird
Conclusion
Birds with forked tails have evolved this feature for a reason – it gives them an advantage when flying. Whether it is because they are able to maneuver more easily or because the long tail feathers help them balance, these birds have found a way to use their split tails to their advantage.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.