It can be really difficult to tell one blackbird from the other more when it comes to all types of blackbirds. There are so many species of blackbirds across the world, and this makes it more confusing. However, the black-colored birds are really fascinating, and if you are a bird lover, you will really need to know more about them. This article seeks to give you a clear insight into the black-colored birds and everything you need to know about them.
Starlings
The Starlings are small, too, medium-sized passerine birds that belong to the family of Sturnidae. They naturally occur in Europe, Africa and Asia, and some firms are usually as far as Australia. They are medium-sized passerines that have strong feet. They have a strong and direct flight and are also very gregarious. They prefer living in a fairly open country, and their diet mainly consists of fruits and insects. Many Starlings search for food by opening the bill. This is after they have probed it inside dense vegetation, and this activity is referred to as the open bill probing.
The plumage is usually dark with a metallic sheen—most of these birds nest in holes where they lay blue or white eggs. The majority of Asian species are referred to as mynas, and they belong to the African genus. Due to their iridescent plumage, the lampriforms are known as glossy starlings. The introduction of the Starlings in The United States has been a factor in decreasing the population of native cavity-nesting birds such as the bluebirds and others by competing strongly for nesting cavities. These birds have very diverse and complex vocalizations, and they are known to imitate the sounds from the surrounding into their own calls, such as the car alarms and human speech patterns.
Boat -Tailed Grackle
The boat-tailed Grackle is a beautiful medium-sized bird that belongs to the family of Icteridae. The scientific name of this bird is Quiscalus Major. These birds are mainly found on the eastern coast of the United States, especially Florida. These birds have an iridescent shine, and this makes them one of the most beautiful in the world. They grow to a maximum length of 43 cm. They have a very dark back color with glass-like effects all over. The males have a very long tail that is V-shaped. Their black shade is mixed with some prattle tones on the head and sides.
The female boat-tailed grackles grow up to half the size of their male counterparts. These birds are not afraid of people, and they will also stay freely around noisy places. In fact, you will find them close o the beach towns on the southeastern USA coast.
Red-Winged Blackbird
This beautiful red-winged blackbird is one of the common types of birds found in the United States, and it belongs to the family Icteridae. The scientific name of this bird is Agelaius phoeniceus. They are mostly found in Parts of the United States such as Pennsylvania, Florida, Alaska, British Columbia. These birds grow to a maximum length of about 18 cm, and their bodies are completely covered with black feathers and decorated with a vibrant red and yellow apart on the wings. Those pards colored yellow and red are known as epaulets, and they become very eye-catching, especially when the bird is on flight. The Red-winged blackbirds are huge lovers whereby a single male can have more than ten female partners. They are also very defensive, and they will keep their territory safe from any intruders.
Yellow-Headed Blackbird
The Yellow-headed Blackbird is a medium-sized bird that belongs to the family Icteridae. The scientific name of the bird is Xanthocephalus Xanthocephalus. These birds are mainly found in some parts of the United States, such as California, Arizona, and the Colorado river valley. The most unique and eye-catching feature in these birds is the yellow head and some parts of the breast. The rest of the body is covered in black. You will also notice a white patch on their wings. These birds grow to a maximum length of about 26 cm. These birds are known for creating nests just above the water, and one male will attract a huge number of females to be part of its nesting community. If by any chance, the nest falls in the water, the baby birds will have to swim to get out of the water.
Brewer’s Blackbird
The Brewer’s Blackbirds is a species of bird that belongs to the family of Icteridae and loves staying in lively areas such as parks and also get in touch with birdfeeders. Their scientific name is Euphagus cyanocephalus. They are mainly found in the Western and Central parts of the United States. This is another unique species of blackbirds. It has a very interesting glossy, metallic-like black color. This bird looks like a holographic species with added hints of blue, purple and dark green.
These birds are very sociable, and this explains why they love residing near parks and other lively places. They will mainly team up with others to create a huge family of over 100. It is the female brewer’s blackbirds that choose the nesting place.
Black Billed Magpie
This bird belongs to the family Corvidae, and it is also known as the American Magpie. Its scientific name is the Pica Hudsonia. These birds are mainly found in America, and some of the areas include Canada and Central America. In the United States, they are mostly found in British Columbia, Idaho, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico and many other places.
This bird is large in size and very gorgeous. They also grow to a maximum length of about 60 cm. They have a long tail that is usually black in color. They are almost completely covered with black feathers apart from some white perches on the belly and shoulders. The most alluring thing about these bird types is the shiny dark blue finish on their wings. These birds are always obsessing with building a perfect nest, and a study sometimes conducted back shows that they spend up to 40 days constructing their nests.
The American Crow
This is one of the most common blackbirds that is known by a majority. Their scientific name is Corvus brachyrhynchos. This bird is so common, and you will find them in most parts of the United States. These are huge birds, and they grow to a length of up to 53 cm. They also have a fascinating iridescent black color all over its body. It is a completely black species with a back bill and legs too. During the winter season, the crowds tend to sleep in groups or roosts. The roost can comprise several hundreds of birds or eve million. These birds start breeding when they are two years old or more.
Black Swift
The Black Swift is a small mysterious blackbird that belongs to the Apodidae family. Their scientific name is the Cypseloides Niger. These birds are mainly found in the United States and other countries in both South and North America. They are medium-sized and grow to a maximum length of 18 cm. These birds have a black color with grey undertones, as the name suggests. The plumage is in a dark grey shade. They have long and curved wings with some white spots on the sides of the forehead. They also have small beaks and legs.
These birds are not so common, and there is little known about them, and that is why they are referred to as mysterious birds. They were first discovered in 1901, and they have since maintained a low profile. They have a low reproduction rate, with one black swift delivering one baby swift every year. They prefer residing in a wet environment, and this is the reason why they love living somewhere near waterfalls or oceans. They are an endangered species, and their population is diminishing with time, and recent research shows that the world has lost about 90 percent of the birds compared to their number in 1970.
Common Raven
The Common Raven is also referred to as the Northern Raven, and it is a large type of blackbird that belongs to the family Corvidae. Their scientific name is the Corvus Corax. These birds are found in most parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, North Africa and North America. The Common raven is completely black from the head to the feet. They are large birds that can grow up to a length of 67 cm. These birds are very smart, and they are very good at acrobats. They usually team up in order to get anything they want and grab their prey. You can see them flying and doing some amazing stuff high in the sky. These birds are good fliers, and they can go for a mile while flying upside down.
Swallow-Tailed Kite
This is a large black bird that belongs to the family of Accipitridae and is the only member Of the genus Elanoides. They are mostly found residing in the Southeastern part of the United States, like in Florida, Minnesota and South Carolina. They have a black and white contrast on their body which is easily recognized. The belly, head and underparts of the wings are white in color. The rest of the body is colored in a shiny black shade. They have very long and pointed wings as well as the tail. These birds are generally large, and they grow to a maximum length of 68 cm. The Swallow-Tailed kite is currently listed as an endangered species in the United States. They have very impressive acrobatic skills, and these skills are displayed especially when they are hunting for food. Their main source of food is insects, flying insects, snakes, lizards and more.
Brown-Headed Cowbird
These birds are small, stocky and chunky black birds with a thick and conical bird. The males have a complex black body with a brown head, and this is where the name was derived from. The females are brown in color with a slight streaking on the belly and a black eye. These birds are found in some parts of the United States, and they prefer residing in brush thickets, grasslands, prairies and woodland edges. Due to recent human development, these birds have lately adapted well in the residential areas, cemeteries, orchards and pastures.
The cowbirds have a very unique and interesting way of reproducing. Instead of taking a lot of time preparing by building the nest and later raising the mound ones, they let other birds do it for them. The female deposits their eggs inside the nest of other birds, and this means that particular bird will do all the work of incubating and raising the chick. Many birds have been observed raising the young cowbirds, and they do not realize.
Common Grackle
The Common Grackle is a lanky, large blackbird that has a long tail and a long bill that curves slightly downwards. They are also loud, and they gather in huge groups high on the trees. The male species are dark overall and have an iridescent blue head and bronze body whenever they are seen in the right light. The females resemble the males, except they are slightly less glossy compared to the males. These birds mainly feed on grains such as the cone and rice, and they are known for gathering in large flocks around the farms that these crops are growing. To complete the diet, they also feeding on seeds, acorns, fruits, insects, fish and other birds.
These blackbirds can be a nuisance sometimes, especially when they arrive in large flocks and scare away other small songbirds. They have a high athletic spirit, and they are willing to eat almost any food, and this makes it difficult to prevent them at backyard feeding stations. To identify these birds by sound, they make a sound that is compared to a rusty gate after accompanied by squeaks, whistles and groans.
Baltimore Oriole
The scientific name of this bird is Icterus galbula. The male Baltimore is a combination of orange and black with white wing bars. The females are descent in their own ways with duller colors than the males while lacking a black hood and back. They are stunning members of the Icteridae family, and whenever you think about the blackbirds in the United States, you may probably not think of this bird. You will find these birds at the top of trees most of the time as they flutter around, building beautiful woven nests and looking for food. They also prefer residing in woodlands, riverbanks and on the forests and swamp edges. Despite the fact that they love trees, they are rarely found in deep dark trees.
These birds prefer feeding on ripe fruits and nectar. These two are usually sugary, and they provide the birds with a lot of energy while they feed on insects to get the nutrients. These birds are easily attracted to your feeder as long as you provide the right food they enjoy feeding. The Baltimore is mainly heard before they can be seen since they love residing high on trees. The males make flutelike whistling noises as they protect their breeding territory, and the females also sing but for a short time just to communicate with their mates.
Rusty Blackbird
The Rusty Blackbirds are medium-sized black birds with a slightly curved and slender bill. The breeding males of this species are completely glossy black, while the non-breeding males are duller black but with a rusty brown edge on their plumage. The female species look rusty colored or brown. These birds have been increasingly diminishing in numbers for the last few decades; for instance, in the United States, they have declined by 85 percent, and no one knows why. The Rusty blackbird prefers residing in wet forests, marshes, pond edges and swamps. Currently, most of these natural habitats have been occupied and converted into agricultural areas, and this may be one of the reasons why they have significantly decreased. It is also believed that they have faced severe hunting over the past century, and this may be another reason why their numbers are decreasing by the day.
Bullock’s Oriole
These male species are bright Orange in color and are easily identified by a black line that runs across their eyes and black throat. The females are a bit different with yellowish head, chest and tail with a grayish body. Theus is mainly found in the Western United States. To attract these birds in your backyard, you can try feeding them sugary food, which helps them regain the energy they lose as they migrate from Mexico.
Some of the best food to use include jelly, nectar and orange slices. The Bullocks have a unique display of their ability to hang upside down over a long period of time.
Orchard Oriole
The male species of the Orchard Orioles are a darker orange in color than the Baltimore. The best description of their plumage is rust-colored. The females are greenish-yellow with white wing bars on black wings. These blackbirds are common in the United States, especially during the summer. These birds are shy, and they are not mainly seen since they spend most of their time at the treetops. Their most preferred places of living include the edges of rivers, lakeshores, swamps, open woodlands, scrublands and farms. During the winter, these birds migrate to Central and South America. These birds are among the hardest to attract to the feeders.
You are more likely t observe these birds in your backyard as they search for insects and vegetation or eating some berries from the trees. Once in a while, you might also see them in your feeder as they catch some sunflower seeds or drinking sugar water from the nectar.
Hooded Oriole
The male species of these birds range from Orange to bright yellow, depending on where they reside. They have a black throat that extends up to their beaks and eyes. The females, unlike the male counterparts, are a bit consistent, and they appear olive yellowish with a grayish back. Both the male and female have a bill that is slightly curved. Due to their habit of hanging their nests on the undersides of palm fronds, these birds are sometimes called palm leaf orioles. Actually, these birds are extending their range northwards since many people are increasingly planting palm trees to landscape their homes and neighborhoods.
These birds normally migrate to Mexico during the winter, although there are few that stick around and spend the cold season hanging out at bird feeders as they eat oranges and jelly and drinking the sugar water. They are rare to see because of their inconspicuous nature. However, when they are around, you will definitely hear them since both the males and females sing.
Tri-Colored Blackbird
The scientific name of these blackbirds is the Agelaius tricolor. These birds resemble the Red-winged blackbirds, and that is the first thing you will notice. To distinguish between these two birds, the Tricolored have a distinctive white band of feathers below their red shoulder patch. Their sounds are also different. Although they seem almost the same as that of the tricolored blackbird sounds like it is being squeezed.
The population of these highly social birds has been decreasing drastically with time. At around 1930, it was estimated that the bird’s population was in millions, but currently, they are approximately 300000. One of the major reasons why they have decreased at a high rate is due to invasion and loss of their natural and preferred habitats, which is wetlands. Knots of these areas have been drained and converted for agricultural purposes such as vineyards, wheat fields and orchards.
Scott’s Oriole
The scientific name of this species is the Icterus Porisorum. The male species have bright lemon-colored underparts with a black head and back. They also have white wing bars. The females are mainly yellowish olive in color with dark wings and two white wing bars. These birds can mostly be found in the arid areas of the South West United States. You can also find them residing on the mountains to foothills and all the way down to the deserts. They forage and nest in palms, junipers, pinyon pines, especially yuccas, where the nectar, insects and nesting material are gathered.
These birds are among the few species you will find eating the Monarch butterflies that are avoided by most of them since they taste bad which is as a result of the milkweed plants they consume. It is easy to notice and spot these birds because of their bright yellow plumage. However, you are likely to hear these birds before seeing them since the males start singing even before the sun rises, and they keep on doing it periodically throughout the day. The females only sing to communicate with their mates when they are in the nest.
Double-Crested Cormorants
These are medium-sized cormorants with an iridescent black bossy and orange throat pouch. They also have a pale bill that is long and hooked. They have black feet, and they feed on fish, amphibians and crustaceans. These birds are commonly found in the United States, and some of the areas you will find them include; Manitoba, Southern Alaska and Newfoundland. They prefer living in areas such as rivers, lakes, coasts and swampy areas. During the winter, you will find them living in coastal areas.
The captive birds will perch their dry wings after eating g despite the fact that they are not wet. They have been increasing in population over time, and this was recognized by the authorities.
Coot
The coot resembles a duck and displays the same behavior. They also eat and swim just like the ducks. They, however, do not have webbed feet like the ducks. Each of their toes features lobes located on the sides. If you want to see these birds, you are likely to find them in the ponds, lakes located along the edges or out of water. They are fun to watch as they feed on vegetation, and they dive in the water for their food.
The Cardinal
The young cardinals are just like the adult, but they are brown in color. The cardinals are robust seed-eating blackbirds with a strong bill. Their most preferred habitat is the open woodlands. They are named after the red color, just like that of the catholic cardinals’ vestments.
Lesser Scaup
The Lesser Scaup is a medium-sized diving duck with some finely barred gray back and white underparts that are gray washed. The head, breast and neck are black with purple gloss. The eyes are yellow in color, while the bill is gray with a black tail and black wings that have white perches. The female is chocolate brown with lighter sides, a red-brown head and a dark gray bill that has a white perch at the base. These birds mainly feed on mollusks, small fish, seeds, crustaceans and other vegetative plants.
These birds are commonly found in America, including the United States. They prefer living in ponds and marshes, but during the winter and migration, they will be found in lakes, rivers and ponds. Whenever they are attacked by predators such as the red fox, an adult may pretend to be dead by remaining immobile.
Dark-Eyed Junco
The dark-eyed Junco is a medium-sized sparrow that has considerable geographic color variations, although they all exhibit a pink bill, dark eyes, white belly and a dark centered tail with outer feathers that are white in color. They have a darker head overall. The females resemble the males, but they are paler. The juveniles are heavily streaked brown with darker heads and white bellies. These birds are mainly found residing in the United States, Canada and other parts of America. The preferred habitat for these blackbirds is in openings and edges of the coniferous and mixed woods. During the winter, they will frequent the fields, parks, roadsides and suburban gardens.
The average length of these birds is approximately 15 to 17 cm and has an average weight of around 20 grams. Whenever they are under threat, or they want to alert other members of the flock, they flash their white tail feathers. Their diet mainly consists of insects and seeds, and they will sometimes feed on their own droppings.
Common Murre
The Common Murre is a medium-sized seabird that has brown-black upper parts and throat, white underparts and a long dark bill. Both the male and females are similar, and they all have a short tails. During the winter, the adults have a white throat, white side of the face and faintly mottled flanks. These birds are found in the United States, and you will find them breeding along the Arctic and subarctic parts of Alaska and northeastern Canada, among others. Their preferred place of residence is on the rocky coasts. These birds lay one white, blue or brown egg directly on a rock or on a rock shelf with no nesting material added. The incubation takes between 28 to 33 days, and it is done by both parents. These birds forage by diving from the surface, and they remain underwater for up to one minute, reaching up to 100 feet deep.
Acorn Woodpecker
The Acorn Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that has a red crown, a forehead that is white in color and a face and body that is glossy black. The breast is white with white streaks with a white belly and rump. The wings are black with some white perches. Both the males and females are similar except for a black perch between the white forehead and the crown. The juveniles are similar but with a black eye. These blackbirds are all their round d birds meaning that they do not migrate, and you will find them I some parts of the United States, such as California, Colorado and western Texas. You will find these birds living in tropical hardwood forests, pine-oak woodlands.
These bird lays between three to seven eggs in the hole and incubates them for 11 to 14 days. And this responsibility is carried by both parents. These animals usually nest in colonies, and the members usually share the excavation holes mostly in dead oak branches. The diet of these birds primarily consists of insects, sap, fruits, flowers and flower nectar. They occasionally feed on grass seeds, lizards and bird eggs.
Snake Bird
This elegant bird is also known as the anhinga, but it is many people refer to it as a snake bird because whenever it Is in water, only its snake-like head remains above the water surface. Despite the size of these birds, they can fly high in the sky for a very long period of time.
Conclusion
From the article, you can clearly see there are many types of a blackbird in the world, and there are some that you can even spot in your backyard. They are sometimes social, fun and interesting to watch as they feed and perform other displays. Due to their color, they can definitely make good pets for a beginner since black is a color that does not need a lot of effort to take care of.
