15 Birds That Are Orange And Black [Pictures & Guide] - Birdwatching Buzz (2024)

It’s a delight to see brightly colored birds at your feeders. There are many species of orange and black birds that you’re likely to encounter either at your feeders or while out bird watching. Many of these might look very similar, especially the orioles and tanagers. So, how do you tell them apart?

We’ve compiled a list of the most common orange and black birds and explain their most distinguishing features so that you can familarize yourself with them.

Size Comparison Chart

Here’s a handy reference guide to the size and weight of each of these birds.

1. Altamira Oriole

The altamira oriole is quite a stunning bird. It has an orange head with a black mask around the eyes. The black continues down the throat and onto the chest. The entire body of this oriole is bright orange but the wings and tail feathers are black with a little bit of white striping. The beak is also black.

2. American Redstart

This sweet little bird is a warbler. It’s only the male of the species that has the black and orange markings. The bird has a black head, throat, chest, back, wings and tail. It has bright patches of orange on the sides of the chest and on the wings and the tail. The feathers on the belly and under the tail are white. The bird also has a black beak.

The female of the species has gray colorings in place of the black and yellow instead of orange patches. She also has more white on the throat and chest.

3. American Robin

American robins are common at backyard feeders. This bird has a black head and a pale orange chest and belly. The back feathers are generally gray as are the wings and the tail feathers. The wings and tail do have some patches of black. The beak is yellow.

The female of the species lacks the black head which is the same gray as the back. She also has fewer black patches on her wings and tail.

4. Baltimore Oriole

Like other orioles, it’s the male of the species that primarily has the bright orange and black markings. This bird has a completely black head and back. The chest, belly and underside is a lovely orange color. The wings are black and white but they have orange patches on the shoulders. The tail also has quite a few orange feathers.

The female of the species has a muted yellow head, chest, belly and underside but she has a small patch of orange on her throat. Her back feathers and wings are brown and white and she has the same muted yellow tail.

5. Blackburnian Warbler

Once again, it’s the male bird that has the brighter colors. He has a distinctly orange and black striped head and face with an orange throat. The underside is mostly white with some black stripes. On the back, wings and tail, this bird has black and white feathers. It also has a black beak.

The female bird has the same type of markings but these are pale yellow and light to dark brown.

6. Black-headed Grosbeak

There’s no mistaking a grosbeak when you look at its beak. The beak is conical and it has a thick base. The male black-headed grosbeak has a mostly black head with some orange patches on the back of the head. The throat, chest, belly and underside are a burnt orange color. Conversely, the wings and tail are black, brown and white.

Females have more of a buff-colored breast and underside and the head has stripes of brown, white and yellow. The wings and tail are also mostly brown and white.

7. Bullock’s Oriole

The male oriole has quite distinct markings. The top of the head is black but the rest of the head is orange except for a black stripe over the eye. The bird also has a black patch under the beak. The chest, belly and underside is mostly orange that fades to a lighter color toward the underside of the tail. The back is black and the wings are black and white. The tail is black and orange.

The female has more muted colorings with the head, chest and tail being a mustard color and the back and wings being more dark brown and white. She also has a white belly.

8. Eastern Towhee

The male eastern towhee is quite striking in appearance. It has a black head, throat and back. The chest and belly are white with a large section of orange on either side of the white patch. The wings and tail feathers are black and white. It also has a black beak.

The female eastern towhee also has the same chest and belly colorings. However, she has a brown head and back and her wings and tail feathers are brown and white.

9. Hooded Oriole

The male hooded oriole is mostly a yellow-orange color with some interesting black markings. From in front of the eye and down the throat, this bird has black feathers. The back feathers are also black and the wings are black and white while the tail is mostly black. The bird also has a black beak.

The female hooded oriole is mostly yellow all over but she has brown and white feathers on her wings and her beak is pink.

10. Orchard Oriole

The male orchard oriole has chestnut and black markings. It has a black head and back. The chest, belly and underside is a deep chestnut color that does look like burnt orange. The wings and tail feathers are black and white but the bird does have a chestnut patch on the wings.

The female orchard oriole is mainly greenish yellow in color with gray and white wings and an olive green tail.

11. Red-winged Blackbird

As is the case with most bird species, it’s the male blackbird that has the most striking markings. It’s mostly black all over but has the most distinctive orange and yellow patches on the shoulders. The female bird is mainly brown and white striped but she has a red patch on the shoulders.

12. Spotted Towhee

Both the male and the female spotted towhees are quite striking in appearance. The male has a black head, throat and back. The belly is white but is edged with a wide patch of burnt orange. The wings are black with white painted spots and the tail is also black. These birds also have a red eye.

The female is similarly colored but the head and back is more of a very dark brown. She also has the striking red eye.

13. Varied Thrush

The varied thrush is a colorful little bird. It has a striped black and orange head with a black breastband. The throat, chest and belly are orange with some brown markings. The back is a sooty black and the wings are dark brown and orange.

The female thrushes are more muted but they still have the orange breast, throat and stripe on the head. Their wings are more a tan and orange color.

14. Vermillion Flycatcher

The male vermillion flycatcher is a stunning little bird. It has a dark orange head, throat, chest, belly and underside. It also has a black stripe over the eye, a black back and black wings and tail feathers with white tips.

The female doesn’t have the same striking markings. It’s mostly brown and white with a pale orange belly.

15. Western Tanager

The male western tanager has an orange head with a yellow body. The wings and tail are black with the wings having yellow and white tips.

The female lacks the orange head and is more mustard colored all over. However she does have black wings with white tips.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are plenty of orange and black birds. The majority of these are small songbirds so you are likely to spot them around your backyard feeders.

With the descriptions we’ve given you, you should be able to identify these birds more easily now.