What kind of birds are yellow and black? 13 different types with photographs.

Several birds, mainly yellow and black, can be found in the United States and Canada. Several species of tanagers, orioles, finches, meadowlarks, and warblers have this color pattern.

Several species of tanagers, orioles, finches, meadowlarks, and warblers have this colour pattern. There are even more species of birds with plumage that is greenish above and yellow below, with black feathers. These aren't covered in this article.

The birds in this article have brilliant yellow bodies with black wings and tails or blackheadsheads. However, I added a few additional birds with slightly different colour patterns in case they are the birds you saw. These yellow and blackbirds, which we'll explain in more detail below, are the birds most likely to be seen in your backyard or feeder, or in the countryside nearby:

• American Goldfinch

• Lesser Goldfinch

• Evening Grosbeak

• Western Tanager

• Scarlet Tanager

• Orchard Oriole

• Hooded Oriole

• Eastern Meadowlark

• Western Meadowlark

• Wilson's Warbler

• Hooded Warbler

• Common Yellowthroat

• Yellow-headed Blackbird

It's possible that color is what draws your attention to a bird when you first see it.

Many birds, though, have identical color patterns. Males and females can come in a variety of colors. The plumages of breeding and non-breeding birds are likely to differ. Thus, for swiftly narrowing down the choices among the world's 10,000 species of birds (or even North America's 1,000 species), the size and shape of the bird, particularly the shape of the bill, are more useful than color.

If you're not a birder, however, you're probably inquiring about a common backyard or feeder bird. This significantly reduces the number of options. We 'll start with backyard birds and work our way up to more noticeable species you could spot in the countryside or in the woods. 

Three types of birds are likely to visit your seed feeders. If the bird you're looking for was in your backyard, it was most likely one of these three.

American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch is widely discussed when people inquire about a bright yellow and black bird, or a yellow bird with black wings. As you'll find below, it's not the only bird with this coloration, but it's a popular and widespread species in the United States. It can also be found in seed feeders, particularly thistle feeders.

American Goldfinches have black and white wings and tails, as well as a white rump and undertail. Males have a black crown and are significantly brighter yellow than females. They are approximately 5 inches from bill tip to tail tip. This species molts into a dull creamy brown body plumage with buffy wing bars in the winter, which scarcely resembles its summer splendor. During the breeding season, they are frequently observed in big flocks.  The song is light and clear in voice. A 4-note lilt in flight that sounds like po-ta-to-chip!

Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinches join American Goldfinches in the West, particularly in the Southwest. These small yellow birds have a similar appearance to American Goldfinches. The backs of lesser goldfinches are green or even black. Even in the winter, the yellow underparts, especially the undertail coverts, remain bright yellow. Their length from bill tip to tail tip is around 4-1/2 inches , the wings have a long white stripe running down the middle. The flap-bound form of flight has a lot of undulation. Usually occurs in small flocks.

Their song is made up of lovely phrases. Calls include plaintive rising or falling pairs: Tee-yee or tee-yair.

Evening Grosbeak

Evening Grosbeaks breed in southern Canada and the western United States' mountains. In the winter, they migrate southward to the lowlands. Each winter, though, is unique. When seeds become limited in the north, massive flocks erupt far southward. They eat maple and elm seeds, as well as seeds from backyard seed feeders, at this time of year.

Short tails and a large greenish-yellow bill distinguish this plump species. Males have a smoky grey head and upper body with a yellow belly, shoulders, and forehead. The tail is black in color. Large white secondary feather patches are seen in flight on the black wings. Females have white wing spots at the base of the primaries and are pale grey with a tinge of yellow in a similar pattern. They are approximately  8 inches from bill tip to tail tip.  Often heard in flight is a clee-ip call and a whistled pew, either clear or buzzy.

If one of the three species listed above wasn't the bird you observed, we still have work to do!

During spring migration and summer, several female tanagers and orioles with yellow and black feathers may come into your shade or fruit trees. The majority of these birds are yellow with black wings as a general pattern.

Western Tanager

If you reside in the West, you might find your trees overflowing with multicoloured tanagers that appeared overnight one morning in May! Aside from that, these birds like to spend most of their time in pairs high in the highest conifer trees. Their body is bright yellow, with black wings and a redhead. A white wing bar distinguishes Western Tanagers. It has a black tail. Males have red-orange heads, which are absent in first-year males and during the winter.

Females have olive-green wings and tails and are yellowish or grey. Both genders have a pale yellowish bill that is swollen. They are approximately  7-1/4 inches from bill tip to tail tip

Scarlet Tanager

Scarlet Tanagers are the Eastern version of the Western Tanager. Males  are bright red with black wings and tails.  The female, on the other hand, is of dull yellowish or greenish color with blackish or olive wings. The male develops blotchy green and red plumage in the fall, then moults into a yellowish hue identical to the female. The bill is light in color. They are approximately  7 inches from bill tip to tail tip

Orchard Oriole

The Orchard Oriole is a smaller version of the Eastern Oriole. Males are dark in color, ranging from deep chestnut to black. Their hood, back, wings, and tail are all black. The chestnut underparts contrasts with this. Females have olive wings and upper bodies, with yellowish underbelly. The immature male has a yellowish underbelly and a large black chin and throat. They are approximately  7-1/4 inches from bill tip to tail tip

Hooded Oriole

From California to Texas,  They are a palm-tree-loving bird. California's hooded Orioles are a little yellower than Texas' orange birds. The males' throats, backs, wings, and tails are all black. Females have dark wings and are yellow below and greenish above. Males in their first year have yellowish underparts and black throats. They are around  8 inches from bill tip to tail tip.

Open-field yellow and black birds

Meadowlarks are desert and short grassland birds. They are disguised in black, brown, and white from above. They feature beautiful yellow underparts with a black band across the chest from the front.

Eastern Meadowlark

The eastern and southwest United States are home to this species. Eastern Meadowlarks are darker than Western Meadowlarks, with speckled and striped browns and blacks above. The underparts have a bright yellow color. A black band runs along the chest. The yellow throat of the Eastern Meadowlark is narrower than that of the Western Meadowlark . Around  9-1/2 inches from bill tip to tail tip.

Western Meadowlark

From the Midwest to Texas, this grassland species can be found westward. Western Meadowlarks are paler than Eastern Meadowlarks, with browns, blacks, and greys scattered and striped across their backs. The underbelly is a bright yellow color. A black band runs along the chest. The neck of the Yellow-throated Meadowlark is broader than that of the Eastern Meadowlark. Yellow malar feathers extend from the lower mandible of the beak. Around  9-1/2 inches from bill tip to tail tip.

Woodland yellow and black birds

There are many warblers with yellow and black feathers. The majority of them have white and green plumage. We've included two examples here which are mostly yellow and black. Insect gleaners are most common in the summer and migrate south of the border in the winter.

Wilson's Warbler

Wilson's Warblers nest in the western mountains of Canada, Alaska, and the United States. However, they can be found in migration all throughout the United States.  This is a little brilliant yellow bird with a black eye. The male is the only one with a tiny black cap. Around  5 inches from bill tip to tail tip

Hooded Warbler

This warbler can be found in wooded wetlands throughout the eastern United States, particularly in the Southeast. Bright yellow on the bottom, with a black cowl enclosing the yellow face. Green on the upper body and tail. When the tail is fanned or viewed from below, whitetail spots appear. Over the face, but not the throat, the Female has a greenish tinge of a male's cowl. Around  5-1/4 inches from bill tip to tail tip

Marshland yellow and black birds

We've included two popular species that have black and yellow feathers.

Common Yellowthroat

Breeds in the United States and Canada. Winters on the southern beaches of the United States and further south. This marsh-dweller is usually olive-brown in color, with a brilliant yellow throat and undertail. In the male, the black domino mask across the face is an evident mark that is absent on the female. Around  5 inches from bill tip to tail tip

Yellow-headed Blackbird

This loud blackbird can be found in wetlands in central Canada, the Great Plains, and the United States' Great Basin. The male Yellow-headed Blackbird has a yellow head and chest and is black. The female has a blob of yellow on her chest and a darker face and neck. In-flight, both genders have white wing patches visible. Around 9-1/2 inches from bill tip to tail tip.