What are the most common type of birds?

Understanding “Common” Birds in Pakistan

Criteria for Commonality: Common birds are those with large populations, wide distribution across Pakistan’s diverse habitats (e.g., urban areas, wetlands, forests, deserts), and frequent sightings by birdwatchers. This includes resident species (present year-round) and regular migratory birds (wintering in Pakistan).
Context from Previous Query: Pakistan hosts ~800 species, with 40–45% migratory (320–360 species) and a majority being passerines (perching birds). Common species are often adaptable to human-altered environments or abundant in key habitats like the Indus River Delta or Himalayan foothills.
Framework: I’ll categorize the most common species within the four types you previously asked about (passerines, raptors, waterfowl, flightless birds), noting that flightless birds are rare in Pakistan. The focus will be on species noted in sources like Wikipedia’s “List of birds of Pakistan,” AnimalSpot, and WorldAtlas for their prevalence.

Most Common Bird Species in Pakistan

Below is a list of some of the most common bird species in Pakistan, grouped by type, with brief explanations of their prevalence, habitats, and traits. Since “top 10” wasn’t specified, I’ll provide a representative selection of 10 species across the major types, focusing on those frequently mentioned in sources for their abundance or adaptability.

1. Perching Birds (Passerines)

Passerines dominate Pakistan’s avifauna, comprising over half of its ~800 species, and include many of the most common birds due to their adaptability to urban and rural environments.

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Why Common: Abundant in urban and rural areas, often near human settlements. Its adaptability to diverse diets (seeds, scraps) ensures large populations.
Habitat: Cities, villages, farmlands; found nationwide from Karachi to the Himalayas.
Traits: Small, brown-gray, with males showing a black bib. Known for chirping and communal roosting.
Relevance: A classic passerine, like the Wren from your “king of birds” query, but far more common than rare species like Stresemann’s Bristlefront.

House Crow (Corvus splendens)

Why Common: Highly adaptable, thriving in urban areas, scavenging human food waste. Large flocks are visible in cities like Karachi and Lahore.
Habitat: Urban centers, farmlands, and coastal areas.
Traits: Glossy black with a grayish neck, intelligent, and known for loud cawing. Similar to the Hawaiian Crow (rare, from your list) but widespread.
Relevance: A corvid, like the Raven in your 100 birds list, showcasing passerine intelligence.

Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)

Why Common: Widespread in urban and agricultural areas, often seen in pairs or flocks. Its omnivorous diet and bold behavior make it a common sight.
Habitat: Cities, gardens, farmlands; prevalent across Punjab and Sindh.
Traits: Brown with a yellow eye-patch and white wing patches, known for mimicry and chatter.
Relevance: A passerine noted in your 100 birds list, contrasting with rare mynas like the Bali Myna.

Himalayan Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)

Why Common: Abundant in northern Pakistan, especially in Himalayan foothills, gardens, and forests. Its loud song makes it noticeable.
Habitat: Hills, forests, urban parks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.
Traits: Olive-brown with a white cheek patch and crest, a skilled songster.
Relevance: Pakistan’s only endemic species, the Indus River Delta bulbul, is related, but this bulbul is far more common.

2. Birds of Prey (Raptors)

Raptors are less numerous than passerines but include common species in Pakistan due to their adaptability to varied terrains and prey availability.

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

Why Common: One of Pakistan’s most widespread raptors, often seen soaring over cities and rivers. Its scavenging habits ensure abundance.
Habitat: Urban areas, rivers, and open fields; common in Karachi and along the Indus.
Traits: Dark brown with a forked tail, agile in flight, feeds on carrion and small prey.
Relevance: Like the Bald Eagle (your “king of birds”), it’s a raptor but far more common and less majestic, thriving in human-altered environments.

Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Why Common: A small, agile hawk found across Pakistan, hunting in woodlands and urban edges. Its adaptability to small prey (birds, lizards) boosts its numbers.
Habitat: Forests, farmlands, suburban areas.
Traits: Gray upperparts, barred underparts, and sharp eyes for hunting.
Relevance: A raptor like the Peregrine Falcon (from your 100 birds list), but more common due to its broader range.

3. Waterfowl

Waterfowl are common in Pakistan’s wetlands, especially during winter when migratory species arrive, making up a significant portion of the 320–360 migratory birds.

Common Teal (Anas crecca)

Why Common: A small duck, abundant during winter migration, found in large flocks in wetlands like Haleji Lake and the Indus Delta.
Habitat: Lakes, marshes, and rivers across Pakistan.
Traits: Males have a green eye-stripe and chestnut head; swift fliers and dabblers for aquatic plants.
Relevance: A waterfowl like the Madagascar Pochard (rare, from your list), but far more common due to its migratory abundance.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Why Common: Widespread in wetlands and coasts, often seen wading in shallow waters. Its adaptability to various water bodies ensures frequent sightings.
Habitat: Indus River Delta, coastal mangroves, and inland lakes.
Traits: Slender white heron with black legs and yellow feet, graceful while foraging for fish.
Relevance: A waterbird like the Flamingo in your 100 birds list, but more common in Pakistan’s wetlands.

4. Gamebirds (Substituting Flightless Birds)

Flightless birds are not native or common in Pakistan (e.g., no Kakapo or Ostrich in the wild), so I’ll include gamebirds (order Galliformes) as a comparable group, as they are ground-dwelling and include Pakistan’s national bird.

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar)

Why Common: Pakistan’s national bird, abundant in hilly and arid regions. Its resilience and wide distribution make it a frequent sight.
Habitat: Rocky hills, deserts, and scrublands in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Traits: Red beak, black facial bars, and a distinctive “chuk-chuk” call. Ground-dwelling, it runs swiftly.
Relevance: Noted in your 100 birds list, it’s culturally significant, symbolizing love, unlike the rare flightless Kakapo.

Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus)
- Why Common: Widespread in grasslands and farmlands, known for its loud morning calls. Its adaptability to agricultural areas ensures large populations.
- Habitat: Plains, scrublands, and fields across Punjab and Sindh.
- Traits: Gray-brown with fine barring, a ground bird that flies short distances when startled.
- Relevance: A gamebird like the Pheasant in your 100 birds list, common due to its tolerance of human-modified landscapes.

Notes and Context

Why These Species?: These 10 are among Pakistan’s most frequently sighted birds, based on sources like Wikipedia, AnimalSpot, and WorldAtlas, which highlight their abundance in urban, wetland, and hilly habitats. Passerines dominate (4/10) due to their numerical prevalence, followed by waterfowl (2/10) and raptors (2/10), with gamebirds substituting for flightless birds (2/10).
Relevance to Previous Queries:
Four Types: The list aligns with your earlier question about bird types, with passerines (e.g., House Sparrow) and raptors (e.g., Black Kite) being most common, waterfowl (e.g., Common Teal) seasonally abundant, and flightless birds absent, replaced by gamebirds like the Chukar.
King of Birds: The Black Kite and Shikra, as raptors, share traits with the Bald Eagle (your “king”), but are far more common in Pakistan.
Rare Birds: Unlike rare species like the Kashmir Flycatcher or Houbara Bustard (from your top 10 rare birds query), these species thrive due to adaptability, contrasting with the vulnerability of rare birds.
Sources: Data draws from Wikipedia’s 792–805 species count, Avibase’s checklist, and AnimalSpot’s emphasis on urban and wetland species. X posts highlight migratory waterfowl in wetlands, supporting the inclusion of species like the Common Teal.
Limitations: Exact population data is unavailable, so commonality is inferred from distribution and sighting frequency. If you meant “type” as a broader category (e.g., taxonomic orders), I can provide counts of species per order (e.g., ~400 passerines).
Chart Option: I can generate a chart showing the proportion of these common species by type (e.g., passerines vs. raptors) or their habitat distribution (e.g., urban vs. wetland). Please confirm if desired.