How word searches work
The bird list is deliberately global — a flamingo and a toucan next to a sparrow and a robin, with a vulture and an ostrich for scale. The species were chosen to share as few letter sequences as possible, which is what keeps the grid honest: finding PELICAN tells you nothing about where PEACOCK is.
WOODPECKER is ten letters, has a double O and a K, and is the obvious first target. ROBIN and HERON are the short ones. Both are five letters of common consonants and will resist you longest.
The grid regenerates every time you load the page, so the same theme never gives you the same arrangement twice. Words run in all eight directions including backwards and diagonally, and your fastest completion time for each grid size is saved in your browser.
The bird word list
| Word | Letters | Notable letters |
|---|---|---|
| SPARROW | 7 | W |
| FLAMINGO | 8 | common letters only |
| PELICAN | 7 | common letters only |
| CARDINAL | 8 | common letters only |
| PEACOCK | 7 | K |
| OSTRICH | 7 | common letters only |
| SWALLOW | 7 | W |
| PUFFIN | 6 | common letters only |
| VULTURE | 7 | V |
| HERON | 5 | common letters only |
| MAGPIE | 6 | common letters only |
| WOODPECKER | 10 | K, W |
| ROBIN | 5 | common letters only |
| TOUCAN | 6 | common letters only |
How to find words faster
- Find the longest bird words first. WOODPECKER is the longest entry at 10 letters, and long words have far fewer possible placements than short ones. Clearing them early removes a disproportionate share of the grid.
- Target the uncommon letters in this list. The rare letters present here are K, V, W. Each one appears only a handful of times in the random filler, so finding the letter usually hands you the word.
- Leave HERON until last. At 5 letters it is the shortest entry, which means it has the most possible positions on the grid and hides best. Short words are always the least efficient thing to hunt first.
- Read every candidate in both directions. Roughly half the placements in any grid are reversed. If an area looks empty, try reading it backwards before moving on.
Frequently asked questions
How many birds are hidden in the puzzle?
Fourteen species from across the world, chosen for varied spelling rather than for any single habitat. The smallest grid may not fit the longest name, and the list shows only what is placed.
Which bird is hardest to find?
ROBIN or HERON, depending on the board. Both are five letters with no rare letter and no repeated letter, which is the profile of a word that hides well.
Are these real bird names?
Yes, all fourteen are common English names for real birds. There are no scientific names, because those are long and full of letters that never appear in the filler, which would make them too easy.