Black birds are often underrated, especially when compared to their more colorful cousins, but don’t let the lack of bright feathers fool you. These birds are anything but boring. In fact, many are among the smartest, most captivating species in the bird world.
For this list, we focused on birds that are either named for their black coloration or have predominantly black plumage. To keep things relevant, we excluded feral and exotic species. The result? A curated list of 28 truly remarkable black birds, 19 with “black” in their name and 9 included for their striking dark feathers.
From iconic ravens and clever crows to the lesser-known bobolink, there’s a wide range of black birds worth discovering. Dive in and find your favorite!
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Family – Icteridae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Widespread across contintental United States and into Alaska.
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Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
Family – Tyrannidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – South western continental United States
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Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Family – Icteridae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Widespread across continental United States
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American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Family – Cathartidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Eastern, south and south western continental United States
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Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
Family – Icteridae
Status – Vulnerable
Distribution – Predominately eastern and northern continental United States and throughout Canada
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Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)
Family – Haematopodidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Pacific west coast from California to Washington and west around to Alaska
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Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Family – Icteridae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Throughout continental United States, less so in the south east
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Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor)
Family – Icteridae
Status – Endangered
Distribution – Pacific west coast from California to Washington
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Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala)
Family – Scolopacidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Pacific west coast from California to northern Alaska
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Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
Family – Anatidae
Status – Near Threatened
Distribution – Concentrated in east but spread across to the west and in coastal areas of Alaska
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Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
Family – Alcidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Northern and western areas of Alaska, far north eastern states of U.S.
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Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata)
Family – Fringillidae
Status – Endangered
Distribution – Population centered around Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah with overspill into surrounding states
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Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus)
Family – Picidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – From northern California through Idaho and Washington and in north eastern states
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Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)
Family – Accipitridae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – South from Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico
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Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
Family – Laridae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Throughout continental United States
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Black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica)
Family – Gaviidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Isolated populations in California north west Washington
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Black Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates melania)
Family – Hydrobatidae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – South western coast of California
Call – none available
American Black Swift (Cypseloides niger )
Family – Apodidae
Status – Vulnerable
Distribution – Western United States from New Mexico to Washington
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Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga)
Family – Accipitridae
Status – Least Concern
Distribution – Vagrant records in southern California and southwest Texas
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Our black birds cover a wide range of bird families and birds that are very common and very rare. My favorite would be the Black Rosy-finch. That is a stunning bird!
Types of Black Birds (based on plumage)
All of these Black Birds below are based on the color of their plumage as opposed to the list of 19 above, which are based on name.
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
The Common Raven is one of the most well-known types of black birds in the world. They are very similar to crows, but they are much larger. These haunting and mysterious birds are incredibly intelligent and cunning, and in some cases, they can even imitate human speech eerily well!
Ravens can actually be semi-domesticated, but this is only advised if you have a lot of time, outdoor space, and attention you can give them.
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
The bobolink is a type of black bird that is actually black, white, and brown. You can find them all over the US in areas like fields, prairies, and well-irrigated meadows.
Both males and females look the same for most of the year, but between the months of March and August, the males’ underbelly and face are completely black.
Black-Billed Magpies (Pica hudsonia)
Black-billed Magpies will appear to be all black from far away, but as you get closer, you will notice that they are an iridescent blue and black! Their coloring is one of the main features that really makes them stand out from other birds.
Like ravens, Black-billed Magpies are incredibly curious and intelligent creatures. They are also very loud and tend to be very talkative.
These magpies can be found in the Northern Rockies all the way up to the plains in Canada. They tend to hang out in urban areas, so they are one of the more common black birds you will see on this list.
Black Swifts (Cypseloides niger)
Black Swifts are the largest type of swift in the world. They can usually be found on the west coast of the US, as well as in Canada and even in some parts of Mexico.
An interesting fact about Black Swifts is that they only eat when they are flying, catching their food as they fly. They perform complicated maneuvers when they are flying, and they tend to stick to damp areas such as cliffs or the coast.
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
The Phainopepla is a unique-looking type of black bird that can be found in the Southwestern US. They have very tall crests, which is what makes them stand out from other black birds.
The males’ crest is a lot taller than the females though, and the females are a dark gray color rather than full black. They tend to stick to forested areas and lowlands, living on a diet that mainly consists of berries.
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Like ravens, the American Crow is one of the most well-known black birds in the whole world. They are incredibly common and found all over the place, so it’s more than likely that you have seen dozens of them in your life already.
This crow is very intelligent, and although it isn’t quite as large as ravens, it still has a very prominent presence. They are well-known for how well they have adapted to human areas, and some are even known to befriend humans, too!
American Crows will eat practically anything, from seeds and fish all the way to human trash.
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
The American Redstart is a colorful type of black bird. Along with the black, there are also beautiful patches of red and white found all over its head, chest, and back. It typically lives on a diet of insects and can be found throughout the Eastern U.S.
They are known to migrate as far as eastern Utah, so if you haven’t seen one before, there is a high chance you will be able to if you find yourself in the western United States.
Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus)
Located in Texas, Arizona, and Louisiana, but it very rarely migrates further north up to the U.S. The Bronzed Cowbird is more commonly found in Mexico and Central America.
Its name comes from the slight bronze sheen that is located on its feathers when it is in sunlight. Both males and females have incredibly distinctive red eyes that really add to how eyecatching this type of black bird is.
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
The Black Vulture is a type of black bird that is most commonly found in southern and eastern parts of the U.S. but it can also be found in South America.
These birds are very distinctive in appearance and are usually found close by Turkey Vultures but they are also one of the more aggressive types of Vultures, so it’s advised to keep your distance!
Final Thoughts
There are so many different kinds of black birds, and this list is just a small taster! Just because they aren’t the most colorful of birds doesn’t mean that they aren’t one of the most interesting!
Keep your eyes peeled for some black birds, and see if you can find any of these types for yourself!
FAQ
This is where confusion starts. There are black birds and Blackbirds. The Blackbird is from Eurasia, where it is extremely common. It was brought over by Europeans to the U.S. along with other birds and mammals to replicate the environment where they came from. There are also New World Blackbirds like the Red-winged Blackbird. These are in a different family from the European Blackbird. Finally, black birds are … well, see above.
Crows and ravens are the most common large black birds in continental America, and they certainly are noisy.
There is a lot of superstition, mythology, and folklore about black birds. Way too much for us to get into. Our opinion is that seeing any bird on any day is good luck!
Black birds are just birds that are black. Black is an adjective. Blackbirds are a family of birds that may or may not be black. The scientific name for this family is Icteridae (Troupials and Allies), and it includes blackbirds, meadowlarks, and orioles.
There are 5 species of Blackbird in the U.S. They are the Red-winged Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Tricolored Blackbird. All 5 are on our list.
Depending on where you are, you could be looking at a raven or vulture. If you are very lucky and the bird is absolutely huge, it could be a Condor.