If I were a bird I don't know what I would be.

If I were a wandering albatross, I would soar endlessly over the ocean. I would seldom see a continent; I would usually visit islands. With the largest wingspan in the avian world, I would basically just be a pair of wings with a bird attached, not the other way around.

If I were a southern cassowary, I would not be a bird you would want to cross. I might look like something prehistoric, but you would find that I am very much alive. With a built-in dagger on each foot, I would be perfectly capable of taking out anyone who threatened me.

If I were a peregrine falcon, I would dive at terrific speeds. Everyone would admire me because nobody could beat me in a flying race. I would live on a cliff by the sea and feast on shorebirds. People would come visit me, hoping to see me fly with my powerful wings.

If I were a bar-tailed godwit, I would fly farther than other bird can without stopping. I would ride a wind current that would carry me the distance—without being taught to find it by my parents. I would hatch knowing where to go.

If I were a barn owl, I would take on nocturnal-crepuscular habits. Because of the soft fringe on the trailing edges of my wings, I would fly in utter silence and you would never hear me coming. And then I would scream in your ear and give you nightmares.

If I were an American crow, I would be the smartest bird. No puzzle could stump me for long. I would be just one of a large, gregarious family, and most people would dislike me except for those who understood my brain, because we would be a noisy family.

If I were a tufted puffin, I would look ridiculous. However, I could carry so many fish in my beak that it would be worth it. And I would live in a burrow that is like the bird version of a hobbit-hole.

If I were a rock pigeon, I would live in a city and be ignored by most people. I would be part of the surroundings. But I would be gentle and I would coo and I would wander around looking for bread being handed out by generous people.

If I were a red-breasted sapsucker, I would get to eat syrup all the time. I would drill neat, orderly rows in the bark of a maple tree and return every day to feed. If I felt like it, I would visit somebody's suet feeder and show off my fine red feathers.

If I were a European starling, I would part of a fantastic murmuration. In a flock numbering in the hundreds, maybe thousands, we would swoop in all sorts of incredible formations. To some of you, we would be awe-inspiring; to others, just a bunch of invasive pests.

If I were an Anna's hummingbird, I would be a very different personality from the way I am now. I would be territorial and aggressive, but I would also have iridescent feathers and the ability to hover.

If I were a bushtit, I would build the most amazing nest. I would know how assemble a beautiful pouch from bits of plant material and spiderwebs. You might pass it by, thinking it's just a sock hanging in the tree, but I would know it was my masterpiece.

If I were a bird...