20 Black Birds with Orange Beaks (Photos & ID Guide)
By James Borland, Updated , 15 min read
Venture into the captivating world of black birds with orange beaks, a group of avian species showcasing remarkable beauty and diversity. Found in an array of habitats worldwide, these striking birds intrigue bird lovers with their vibrant colors and fascinating behaviors.
Quick answer
The most familiar black bird with an orange beak is the male Common Blackbird, found across Europe, North Africa and Asia. Along the coast, look for oystercatchers, which have long red-orange bills and pied or all-black plumage. At sea, the Atlantic Puffin and Black Skimmer pair dark backs with colorful bills. In the tropics, toucans, oropendolas and the Orange-billed Sparrow fit the bill. A few birds on this list have bills that are really yellow, ivory or black, and we say so where that applies.
Black birds with orange beaks are characterized by their striking contrast in colors, making them particularly interesting to bird enthusiasts. Their diverse sizes, plumage patterns, and distinct calls set them apart in the avian world.
These birds can be found in a wide range of habitats and geographic locations, from tropical rainforests and savannas to coastal areas and temperate woodlands. As we explore each species in detail, we’ll discuss their distribution, preferred habitats, and interesting facts about their behavior and biology.
So, lets take a look at these beautiful black birds with orange beaks. Here is the list of the 20 birds we are covering today:
- Common Blackbird
- Dusky Lory
- Abyssinian Scimitarbill
- American Oystercatcher
- Toco Toucan
- Atlantic Puffin
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
- Black Skimmer
- Hill Myna
- Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
- Montezuma Oropendola
- Chestnut-headed Oropendola
- Scarlet-rumped Cacique
- Yellow-rumped Cacique
- Orange-billed Sparrow
- Black Heron
- Keel-billed Toucan
- South Island Pied Oystercatcher
- African Black Oystercatcher
- Collared Aracari
20 Black Birds with Orange Beaks!
1. Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Aside from their striking beak color, Common Blackbirds are recognized by their rounded bodies, long tails, and relatively short wings. Males have a glossy sheen to their plumage, while females have a more mottled appearance.
Size
The Common Blackbird is a medium-sized bird, measuring approximately 23.5-29 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 34-38 centimeters. Adults weigh roughly 80-125 grams.
Plumage
Males are predominantly black, while females exhibit a brownish-grey coloration. The males’ vibrant orange-yellow beaks and eye rings make them easily distinguishable from the females, who have dull yellowish-brown beaks.
Habitat & Facts
Common Blackbirds breed across temperate Eurasia, North Africa and South Asia, and have been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. They inhabit woodlands, gardens, parks, and farmlands. These birds are known for their melodious songs, especially during the breeding season, which starts in March across most of Europe. They are omnivorous and consume a diet of insects, earthworms, berries, and fruits.
2. Dusky Lory (Pseudeos fuscata)
Dusky Lories are incredible looking birds that can be recognized by their stocky bodies, short tails, and strong, curved beaks. The vibrant orange coloration of their beaks, combined with their dark brown and black plumage, makes them easy to distinguish from other lory species. Males and females look alike.
Size
Dusky Lories measure about 25 centimeters in length and weigh around 300 grams.
Plumage
These parrots have predominantly black plumage, with striking orange-red beaks. Their heads, necks and backs are dark brown to blackish, with two bright orange (or, in a rarer morph, yellow) bands across the breast, a pale rump and a yellow patch under the wing that shows in flight.
Habitat & Facts
Dusky Lories are found in the forests, forest edges and even gardens of New Guinea and nearby islands such as Batanta, Salawati and Yapen. They are social birds, often forming large, noisy flocks. These lories feed on nectar, pollen, fruits, and seeds. Their brush-tipped tongues are well-adapted for extracting nectar from flowers.
3. Abyssinian Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus minor)
Aside from their distinctive bill shape, Abyssinian Scimitarbills have long tails and a streamlined body. Their black plumage has a blue-purple iridescence.
Size
The Abyssinian Scimitarbill is a small, slender bird, weighing only about 22-28 grams. The bill is roughly 3 centimeters long, a little longer in males than in females.
Plumage
Both sexes are black with a glossy blue-purple sheen, though males show more blue and females more brown, especially on the head. The most striking feature is their long, curved, orange-red bills, which resemble a scimitar sword.
Habitat & Facts
This bird species is found in eastern and northeastern Africa, inhabiting savannas, dry woodlands, and scrublands. They are insectivores, using their long, curved bills to extract insects from tree bark and crevices. Abyssinian Scimitarbills are monogamous and usually nest in tree cavities or old beehives.
4. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
In addition to their striking bill color, American Oystercatchers have a distinctive black and white plumage pattern. They also have large, bright yellow eyes with an orange eye ring, which further sets them apart from other shorebirds.
Size
American Oystercatchers are large shorebirds, measuring 42-52 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 80-85 centimeters. They weigh between 400-700 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black upper parts and white under parts. Their most prominent feature is their long, bright orange-red bill, which they use to pry open oysters and other shellfish.
Habitat & Facts
American Oystercatchers inhabit coastal areas of the Americas, from Massachusetts south to Brazil on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and from California to Chile on the Pacific side. They are usually found on sandy beaches, rocky shores, and mudflats. Their diet consists primarily of mollusks, but they also consume crustaceans and small fish.
5. Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco)
Toco Toucans are easily identified by their large size, striking bill, and contrasting black and white plumage. They have a narrow blue ring around each eye, with yellow to orange bare skin beyond it. These are probably one of the most incredible birds to look at. Their strikingly huge bill to their black body is a spectacle to witness!
Size
The Toco Toucan is the largest of the toucan species, measuring 56-63 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 100-130 centimeters. They weigh between 500-860 grams.
Plumage
Toco Toucans have predominantly black plumage, with white on the throat and upper breast. Their most notable feature is their massive bill, reddest along the top and orange on the sides, with a black base and a black spot at the tip.
Habitat & Facts
These birds favor semi-open habitats in South America, such as gallery forest, savanna and secondary forest, rather than dense rainforest. They usually feed alone or in small groups at fruiting trees. Toco Toucans are mostly fruit eaters, but also take insects, nestlings and bird eggs.
6. Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
In addition to their distinctive bill, Atlantic Puffins have a black cap, white cheeks, and red-orange legs and feet. They are excellent swimmers and divers, using their wings to propel themselves underwater.
Size
Atlantic Puffins are small seabirds, measuring 28-30 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 47-63 centimeters. They weigh between 300-500 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black upperparts and white underparts. Their heads are black, with a large, triangular bill that is orange-red toward the tip and slate grey toward the head. During the non-breeding season, their bills are smaller and duller in color.
Habitat & Facts
Atlantic Puffins inhabit the North Atlantic Ocean, breeding on rocky cliffs and islands in the United States, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and parts of Europe. They spend most of their lives at sea, only coming to land during the breeding season. Their diet consists almost entirely of fish such as sand eels, herring and sprats, which they catch by diving underwater. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and European populations are expected to keep declining.
7. Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
In addition to their colorful bill, Eurasian Oystercatchers have a black and white plumage pattern, with a distinctive white wing stripe visible in flight. Their eyes are red and their legs are a dull pink.
Size
The Eurasian Oystercatcher is a large wading bird, measuring 40-45 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 80-85 centimeters. They weigh between 500-800 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black upperparts, white underparts, and a long, straight, bright orange-red bill. Some individuals exhibit a dark chest band, while others have a white collar.
Habitat & Facts
Eurasian Oystercatchers are found along the coasts and estuaries of Europe, Asia, and Africa. They prefer rocky shores, sandy beaches, and mudflats. Despite the name, oysters are only a small part of their diet. Each bird tends to specialize in one technique, either opening mollusks or probing for earthworms, and learns it from its parents.
8. Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Aside from their striking bill, Black Skimmers have a black cap, white forehead, and long, pointed wings. Their legs and feet are red-orange, providing another clue to their identification.
Size
Black Skimmers are medium-sized birds, measuring 40-50 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 107-127 centimeters. They weigh between 212-447 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black upper parts and white under parts. Their most distinguishing feature is their large, brightly colored red-based, black-tipped bill, with the lower half longer than the upper, which is uniquely adapted for their feeding behavior.
Habitat & Facts
Black Skimmers inhabit coastal regions, marshes, and riverbanks in North and South America. They are known for their unique feeding technique, in which they skim the water’s surface with their lower bill to catch small fish. They feed mostly at night and in low light around dawn and dusk.
9. Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)
In addition to their distinctive wattles and bill color, Hill Mynas have a sleek body shape, with white wing patches that flash in flight. They are almost entirely tree dwellers and hop sideways along branches rather than walking.
Size
Hill Mynas measure about 29 centimeters in length and weigh between 200-265 grams.
Plumage
These birds have glossy black plumage with bright orange-yellow wattles on the sides of their head. Their bills are bright yellow-orange.
Habitat & Facts
Hill Mynas inhabit the forests and woodlands of South and Southeast Asia. They are famous for their mimicry, although in the wild they do not imitate other birds; the human speech they are known for is a captive behavior. They move through the treetops in small groups, feeding on fruit, insects and nectar.
10. Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver (Bubalornis niger)
Apart from their striking bill color, Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers have a long, graduated tail and a strong, stout body shape. Males have white-flecked edges to their wing feathers.
Size
Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers are medium-sized birds, measuring 21-25 centimeters in length. Males average about 82 grams and females about 71 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black plumage with a slight glossy sheen. Their most notable feature is their bright orange-red bill, which contrasts sharply with their dark feathers.
Habitat & Facts
Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers inhabit the dry savannas and sparse woodlands of eastern and southern Africa. They are social birds, living in large, noisy colonies. They build communal nests out of thorny branches, divided into separate chambers, often built in a thorny tree or even a windmill near people. Their diet consists of insects, seeds, and fruits.
11. Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma)
In addition to their orange bill, Montezuma Oropendolas have a distinctive chestnut-colored patch on their rump, which contrasts with their otherwise black plumage. Males are much larger than females, but both have the bright yellow tail with two dark central feathers.
Size
Montezuma Oropendolas are large birds. Males reach about 50 centimeters and 520 grams, while females are around 38 centimeters and 230 grams.
Plumage
These birds have chestnut bodies with blackish heads, bare blue cheek patches and pink wattles. The bill is black at the base with an orange-red tip.
Habitat & Facts
Montezuma Oropendolas are found in the tropical forests and lowlands from southeastern Mexico to central Panama. They are known for their hanging, pendulous nests, which the females weave from fibers and vines, 60-180 centimeters long, in colonies in tall trees. Their diet is varied, consisting of fruits, nectar, insects, and small vertebrates.
12. Chestnut-headed Oropendola (Psarocolius wagleri)
In addition to their distinctive bill color and chestnut-colored head, Chestnut-headed Oropendolas have pale blue eyes and black legs. Males are larger than females, and females are duller. Strictly speaking the bill is more ivory than orange, so this one is a borderline entry.
Size
Male Chestnut-headed Oropendolas average about 35 centimeters in length and 214 grams, while females are around 28 centimeters and 113 grams.
Plumage
These birds have primarily black plumage, with a dark purplish-chestnut head, throat and upper breast and a chestnut rump. Their large bills are ivory-colored (sometimes with a greenish tinge) with a pale bluish-grey tip.
Habitat & Facts
Chestnut-headed Oropendolas inhabit evergreen and secondary forest from southeastern Mexico through Central America to northwestern South America. Like other oropendolas, they build hanging nests in colonies, often in tall trees. Their diet consists of fruits, insects, and nectar.
13. Scarlet-rumped Cacique (Cacicus uropygialis)
Aside from their vibrant scarlet rump and pointed pale bill (a pale yellow rather than a true orange), Scarlet-rumped Caciques have a sleek, black body and a short, square tail. Their eyes are pale blue, adding another distinctive feature to their appearance.
Size
Male Scarlet-rumped Caciques measure about 23 centimeters and weigh about 68 grams, while females are smaller at roughly 20 centimeters and 53 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black plumage with a striking scarlet patch on their lower back and rump. Their bills are pointed and pale yellow, which stands out against their dark feathers.
Habitat & Facts
Scarlet-rumped Caciques range from far northeastern Honduras through Panama into Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru. Unlike many relatives they are not usually colonial nesters. They build long, bag-shaped hanging nests at the end of a branch, often near active wasp nests. Their diet consists of fruits, insects, and nectar.
14. Yellow-rumped Cacique (Cacicus cela)
In addition to their yellow rump and pale bill, Yellow-rumped Caciques have a slender body, long tail, and pale blue eyes. Their legs and feet are a pale blue-gray color.
Size
Male Yellow-rumped Caciques average about 28 centimeters and 104 grams, while females are noticeably smaller at roughly 23 centimeters and 60 grams.
Plumage
These birds have primarily black plumage, with a prominent yellow patch on their lower back and rump. Their pointed bills are pale yellow, providing a striking contrast to their dark feathers.
Habitat & Facts
Yellow-rumped Caciques inhabit open woodland and farmland with large trees across northern South America, from Panama and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil. They nest in colonies, and a single tree with a wasp nest can hold up to 100 of their hanging nests. Their diet consists of fruits, insects, and nectar. Like other caciques, they build hanging nests made of plant fibers.
15. Orange-billed Sparrow (Arremon aurantiirostris)
In addition to their bright orange bill, Orange-billed Sparrows have a black crown with a grey central stripe, a broad white eyebrow stripe and olive-green upperparts. Their legs and feet are light brown.
Size
Orange-billed Sparrows measure 14.5-16.5 centimeters in length and weigh around 35 grams.
Plumage
These birds have olive-green upperparts with darker wings and tail. The head is black with a wide white eyebrow stripe, and the bill is a bright orange in every subspecies.
Habitat & Facts
Orange-billed Sparrows are found from Mexico to Peru, in the understory of humid evergreen forest at lower elevations. They scratch through leaf litter and glean low vegetation for insects, spiders, seeds and fruit. The nest is a bulky ball of plant material with a side entrance, usually on the ground.
16. Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
Strictly speaking the Black Heron does not belong on an orange-beak list, since its bill is black and its feet are yellow, but it is too good a bird to skip. It has a slender, black body, and breeding birds grow plumes on the crown and nape. One of their most distinctive behaviors is the “umbrella” feeding technique, in which they use their wings to create shade, attracting fish and other prey into the shadow.
Size
Black Herons measure 42-66 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 85-90 centimeters. They weigh between 270-390 grams.
Plumage
These birds have entirely black plumage, giving them a sleek and elegant appearance. The dagger-like bill is black, and the feet are yellow, which makes a neat contrast with the dark feathers.
Habitat & Facts
Black Herons are found patchily in the wetlands, marshes, and shallow waters of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, mostly in the east. They are wading birds, using their long legs to walk through the water in search of prey. Their diet primarily consists of fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects.
17. Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
In addition to their vibrant bill, Keel-billed Toucans have a black body, yellow neck, and red undertail coverts. Their feet are blue, and a narrow red band sits at the base of the yellow chest.
Size
Keel-billed Toucans are large birds, measuring 42-55 centimeters in length and weighing between 380-500 grams.
Plumage
These birds have black plumage, with a yellow neck and chest. Their most striking feature is their large, colorful bill, which is mainly green with a red tip and orange sides.
Habitat & Facts
Keel-billed Toucans inhabit tropical rainforests and forest edges from southern Mexico through Central America to the far northwest of South America, and it is the national bird of Belize. They forage in the mid-story and canopy. Their diet consists primarily of fruit, but they also eat insects, small reptiles, and the eggs of other birds.
18. South Island Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi)
In addition to their orange-red bill, South Island Pied Oystercatchers have a black and white plumage pattern, with a distinctive white wing stripe visible in flight. Their legs and feet are red, providing another identifying feature.
Size
South Island Pied Oystercatchers measure 46-51 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 80-86 centimeters. They weigh around 550 grams.
Plumage
These birds have striking black and white plumage, with a long red-orange bill and red legs.
Habitat & Facts
South Island Pied Oystercatchers are endemic to New Zealand. They breed inland on the South Island, on braided rivers and farmland, then move to estuaries and harbors, many on the North Island, outside the breeding season. They feed mainly on mollusks and worms, and a single bird can eat around 200,000 cockles in a year. Once heavily hunted, they have recovered since gaining legal protection in 1940.
19. African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini)
Apart from their striking bill color, African Black Oystercatchers have a uniform black plumage and red legs and a strong, broad red bill. Females are larger than males and have slightly longer bills.
Size
African Black Oystercatchers measure 42-45 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of 80-88 centimeters. Males average about 665 grams and females about 730 grams.
Plumage
These birds have entirely black plumage, with a long, straight, bright orange-red bill that stands out against their dark feathers.
Habitat & Facts
African Black Oystercatchers are found on the mainland coasts and offshore islands of southern Africa, breeding from Luderitz in Namibia to Mazeppa Bay in South Africa. They feed mostly on mussels and limpets, along with worms and insects. They are long-lived, with a lifespan of around 35 years.
20. Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus)
In addition to their vibrant bill, Collared Aracaris have glossy black upperparts with a narrow cinnamon collar, a red rump, and a yellow belly with a variable red chest wash and a black spot in the middle. The bill is more pale and black than orange, so this is another borderline entry, but a lovely bird.
Size
Collared Aracaris measure 38-41 centimeters in length and weigh 175-250 grams.
Plumage
These birds have a greenish-black head and throat and black upperparts, with a narrow cinnamon-rufous collar at the nape. The belly is yellow. The upper bill is buffy white darkening to reddish brown, with a black tip and ridge, and the lower bill is black.
Habitat & Facts
Collared Aracaris range from east-central Mexico through Central America to northwestern Colombia. They typically travel in groups of about six to fifteen and roost together, with up to seven sharing one cavity. Their diet consists mostly of fruit, but they also eat large insects, small vertebrates, and the eggs and nestlings of other birds.
Frequently asked questions
Do oystercatchers really eat oysters?
Not much. The Eurasian Oystercatcher takes few oysters, and each bird tends to specialize in either opening mollusks or probing for earthworms, a technique it learns from its parents. The American Oystercatcher does eat oysters, along with mussels, clams, limpets, crabs and worms, prying bivalves open by cutting the muscle that holds the shell shut.
Do female Common Blackbirds have orange beaks?
No. The orange-yellow bill and yellow eye ring belong to the glossy black male. Females are sooty brown with a dull yellowish-brown bill, so a brown bird in the garden is usually a female blackbird, not a different species.
Can Hill Mynas really talk, and can I keep one?
In captivity they rank among the best mimics of human speech, but wild birds do not imitate other species. The Hill Myna is listed on CITES Appendix II, and in the 1990s nearly 20,000 wild-caught birds a year entered the pet trade, so check your local wildlife laws and buy only captive-bred birds from a legal source.
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