Which birds are identified by name in Whirligig by Fleischman?

Birds are a recurring image throughout Paul Fleischman's novel Whirligig. The identification of birds is a personal goal Brent sets for himself. He laments that he does not know the names of birds, constellations, shells, and other natural objects in the places he lives. Brent's lack of knowledge of the natural world is a byproduct of how frequently he has moved in his life. 

In some instances, birds are mentioned in a generic way with no...

Birds are a recurring image throughout Paul Fleischman's novel Whirligig. The identification of birds is a personal goal Brent sets for himself. He laments that he does not know the names of birds, constellations, shells, and other natural objects in the places he lives. Brent's lack of knowledge of the natural world is a byproduct of how frequently he has moved in his life. 

In some instances, birds are mentioned in a generic way with no reference to the exact type of bird. There are several instances in which Brent notices the sound of birds around him. In isolated instances, Fleischman chooses to reveal the bird's exact species. 

There are two occurrences of birds being named by species in Whirligig:

• In the chapter "Miami, Florida," the shearwater bird is central to the development of the sub-story of Flaco and the marching band whirligig. Flaco sees the shearwater bird and wishes to be free and untethered like the ocean bird.

• Later, in the chapter titled, "Apprentices," Brent learns the birds diving into the surf are terns. This fact, taught to Brent by a young boy, allows Brent to add to his knowledge of birds.