Many people subscribe to the belief that birds with black plumage are really not that interesting, perhaps even unattractive, nothing could be further from the truth!
From blackbirds to starlings, from ravens to crows, here are nine pictures of black-colored beauty to help change the way we view these birds.
The Red-Winged Blackbird
“I spotted this bird while kayaking on Lake Arrowhead in Vermont at the beginning of June. This red-winged blackbird picture reminds me when you are willing to open yourself up beautiful things will happen,” says Angela Myers. This bird gets his name from the highly distinctive red shoulder patches, or epaulets the male has, which are more visible when flying or displaying.
Juvenile Red-Winged Blackbird
Jennifer Hardison spotted this juvenile red-winged blackbird high in a tree in Athens, Tennessee. Females of this species are dark brown overall with crisp streaks, paler on the breast with whitish eyebrows.
The European Starling
“I snapped this magnificently colored bird during a visit to Central Park in New York City. He is a handsome-looking fellow,” says Angela Tarvin.
It is also simply called the starling in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Like most starling species, they tend to eat whatever they can get their hands on. In their native habitat, that means everything from insects, to tree frogs, to fruits and berries. Unfortunately, they also have the bad habits that have made starlings so invasive in North America.
Great-Tailed Grackle
“The great-tailed grackle is a pond dweller. Its distinctive calls and screeches set them apart from other birds. In the sunlight, the bird appears to have a blue/purplish color tone. It has bold yellow eyes that stand out against the black silky-looking feathers. I took this photo during the summer in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma,” says Geralyn Bartolazzi.
Great-tailed grackles, particularly adult males, have a keel-shaped tail that they can fold vertically by aligning the two halves.
Yellow-Headed Blackbird
“I captured this yellow-headed blackbird picture in the reeds along the shore of Patterson Lake near Dickinson, North Dakota. I love to hear them sing and see how the yellow head really shows up well when looking for them. It’s one of my favorite birds to photograph around the water,” says Albert Myran.
These birds migrate in the winter to the southwestern United States and Mexico. They often migrate in huge flocks with other species of birds.
Brewer’s Blackbird
Nidia Palomo of Orlando, Florida, shared this picture of inquisitive brewer’s blackbirds.
Adult males have black plumage with an iridescent purple head and neck finished off with glossy bluish-green highlights on the rest of his body.
Common Raven
Valeri Maisch photographed this raven at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona
The term “raven” is distinguished from “crow” merely by the ravens’ larger size; the two share the same genus.
Common Grackle
“I chose this picture due to the bird’s vibrant colors and bright yellow eye. His head is cocked and it looks like he is giving a stern look to something,” says Sonja Mauk.
Adults often have an iridescent appearance on their heads, especially males.
The American Crow
“When most people think of the desert, they think of a desolate place. But this photo captures its beautiful colors and the wildlife that calls this amazing place home. The crow was sitting atop a stop sign, the gatekeeper of Valley of Fire state park in Nevada,” says Bill Caldwell.
