Common Black and White Birds Herons – Family Ardeidae The Black-crowned Night-Heron is common in many parts of the United States. Compare with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, especially juvenile birds. Skimmers – Family Laridae  The bill configuration of the Black Skimmer (coastal only) makes this species an easy one to identify. Woodpeckers – Family Picidae  Compare this Downy Woodpecker to the very similar but larger Hairy Woodpecker.
Flycatchers and Phoebes – Family Tyrannidae 
The Black Phoebe is a western species that might be confused with some races of the Dark-eyed Junco. Note the white tip on the tail of this Eastern Kingbird.
Chickadees – Family Paridae  The Black-capped Chickadee and the Carolina Chickadee are very similar.
Black-capped has more white on the wings. Ranges overlap in limited area.  The Carolina Chickadee is a southern cousin to the Black-capped Chickadee, above, The Carolina Chickadee has less white on the wings. Shrikes – Family Laniidae The Loggerhead Shrike is also called the butcher bird, named for its habit of impaling grasshoppers and mice onto thorns. Compare with similar Northern Shrike. Nuthatches – Family Sittidae The White-breasted Nuthatch has an aggressive display -- a crouched posture with outstretched wings. Compare with the Brown-headed Nuthatch in the southeast.
Wood-Warblers – Family Parulidae The Black-and-white Warbler is most often observed on trunks or large branches, not in leafy areas. Compare with Blackpoll Warbler. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of our most common warblers.
Birds in the western United States have a yellow throat. Eastern Yellow-rumped Warblers have a white throat. Grosbeaks – Family Cardinalidae The Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) is most often reported during migration, when it shows up at feeding stations and birdbaths. Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak and female Black-headed Grosbeak are very similar.
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Bird Identification 
