Psst! Have you spotted a flamboyant orange birds in your backyard? Don’t fret, my feather-loving friend! Check out these eye-catching bird pictures, generously shared by our readers, to give you a leg up in identifying that colorful creature. Who knows, you might just discover a newfound appreciation for the avian world!
We’ve compiled a list of the most common orange birds! Some of these birds may be primarily orange, while others may only have sections of orange.
These birds are found in a wide variety of bird groups, and they can be found in many portions of North America.
Some orange birds (most of them are male! Females of the same species may be brown, green, yellow, etc.)) are found in dry open areas, while others favor mixed forests. Orange is a color that can be found in nature in various shades. It can be bold and bright to rufous or rusty.
So, let’s dive in…
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American Robin
American Robins are relatively large songbirds with round bodies, long tails, and long legs. They’re the largest thrush in North America. They’re gray-brown overall, have dark heads, and warm orange underparts. In flight, the lower belly and under tail can be seen, showing off the white patch on both parts.
In comparison to male American Robins, females are paler overall. This is because they contrast less with the gray on their back and lighter heads. This partially orange bird can be found year-round in the entirety of the United States.
Robins that breed in Alaska’s north slope to Canada leave in the fall for the United States. Some birds winter as far south as Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and the Southwestern portions of the United States.
Carolina Wren
Carolina Wrens are chunky, small birds with long tails and round bodies. Their tails are distinct because they’re often cocked upright. This wren has a fairly large head and very little neck. Another distinctive feature of this bird is the slender, long, and downcurved bill. They’re slightly smaller than a sparrow and a little bit larger than a House Wren.
Male and female Carolina Wrens look very similar. They’re both unpatterned, warm buffy-orange below and bright reddish-brown above.
Additionally, they have white chins, white throats, dark bills, and long white eyebrow stripes. These birds can be found in the eastern half of the U.S., northeast Mexico, and southern Canada.
#3 Rufous Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbirds are relatively small hummingbirds. They have short wings that don’t reach the end of their tail and nearly straight, slender bills. They’re bout the same size as a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
In direct sunlight, the orange on male Rufous Hummingbirds is striking. They have bright orange bellies and backs and bright iridescent-red throats. Female Rufous Hummingbirds have rufous-washed flanks, green upper parts, rufous patches in their green tails, and a small area of orange on the throat.
These birds can be found in the western portions of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They’re long-distance migrants. These orange birds will travel almost 4,000 miles from their breeding grounds in northwest Canada and Alaska to their wintering grounds in Mexico.
#4 Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole is a sturdy, medium-sized songbird. It’s more slender and smaller than an American Robin. They have long legs, thick necks, and thick, pointed bills that make it clear they’re a part of the Blackbird family.
Adult male Baltimore Orioles are primarily black and bright orange. They have one white bar on their wings and black heads. Immature male and female Baltimore Orioles have two solid white wing bars, grayish heads, grayish backs, as well as yellow-orange on the breast.
For some of the year, Baltimore Orioles can be found in the eastern portions of the U.S. and as far west as the state of Montana.
Populations of Baltimore Orioles that migrate head south in the early fall and late summer to Central America, South America, and the Southeast U.S. until April. They prefer to inhabit open deciduous woodlands.
#5 Orchard Oriole
The Orchard Oriole is a slender songbird. They have rounded heads, straight, pointed bills, and medium-length tails.
Adult male Orchard Orioles are reddish-chestnut below and black above. Additionally, they have a reddish-chestnut patch on the wing and a black throat and head. Female Orchard Orioles look very different from breeding male Orchard Orioles. They have two white wing bars and greenish yellow overall.
Look for these birds along river edges in open woodlands, as well as lakeshores, marsh edges, farms, and open shrublands. In open habitats, they nest in scattered trees.
Orchard Orioles winter in tropical forest edges, thickets, plantations, lightly wooded areas, and shady pastures. Orchard Orioles are long-distance migrants. They fly from the eastern portions of North America to wintering grounds in northern South America and Mexico.
#6 American Woodcock
The American Woodcock is a short-legged, plump shorebird. It has a straight, very long bill, short tail, short neck, and large head.
Their wings are rounded and wide in comparison to the majority of other shorebirds. They’re a little bit smaller than a rock pigeon as well as plumper and bigger than a Killdeer. American Woodcocks are a bird that’s very well camouflaged. They have gray-brown tones, are light brown, buff, and black.
The crown is blackish, and the face is buffy. They are light gray across their backs and necks, have brown wings, and dark-and-light patterned shoulders. The underparts are almost orange.
These birds are short-distance migrants and residents. They can be found in the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. Most birds migrate south for winter while staying in North America. However, some southern populations will remain in the same place for the whole year.
#7 Red-Breasted Nuthatch
© Elaine R. Wilson
The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a compact, small bird with a pointed, long bill. They have short tails, almost no neck, and broad short wings. Additionally, they’re noticeably smaller than a White-breasted Nuthatch.
These birds are blue-gray overall and have strongly patterned heads. Additionally, they have a black stripe through the eye bordered with white on both sides and rusty-cinnamon underparts. Females look the same but are paler overall.
This bird can be found in the majority of the United States and Canada. They’re short-distance migrants and residents. The birds in the northern portion of their range migrate south every year, but populations farther south sometimes don’t migrate at all.
#8 American Redstart
The American Redstart is a medium-sized warbler with a flat, fairly wide bill, long, expressive tail, and slim bellies. These birds are about the same size as a Yellow Warbler or Black-capped Chickadee. Adult male American Redstarts look very different from adult female American Redstarts.
Adult males are primarily black and have bright orange patches on their sides, tail, and wings. Their bellies are white. Immature males and females have yellow, whereas males have orange. Additionally, they have gray underparts, gray heads, olive backs, olive wings, and dark-gray tails.
American Redstarts can be found in the majority of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. These birds are long-distance migrants. Those who breed in eastern North America will travel to Florida, northern South America, and the Greater Antilles.
Those who breed in western and central North America migrate to Central America, South America, and Mexico.
#9 Black-headed Grosbeak
The Black-headed Grosbeak is a heft songbird with large bills. Their bills are thick at the base and conical. They have short tails, short, thick necks, and large heads.
They’re slimmer than an American Robin and larger than a House Finch. Breeding male Black-headed Grosbeaks have black-and-white wings, black heads, and rich orange-cinnamon overall. Immature males and females have brown upper parts and buff or warm orange on the breast. They have grayish bills and yellow under the wings.
These birds can be found in the western half of the United States, southern Canada, and Mexico. They’re residents in parts of Mexico, but primarily, they’re medium to long-distance migrants.
#10 Bullock’s Oriole
The Bullock’s Oriole is a medium-sized songbird. They have sturdy but slim bodies, long tails, and thick, long bills that show they’re a part of the Blackbird family.
Adult male Bullock’s Orioles have large white wing patches, black back, and are overall bright orange. They have black throats and orange faces with a black line through the eye. Immature males and females have grayish backs, white-edged wing coverts, and are yellowish-orange on the tail and head.
These birds can be found in the western portions of the United States and are medium-distance migrants. Most Bullock’s Orioles winter in the western parts of Mexico, but a few birds are permanent residents of coastal southern California.
#11 Allen’s Hummingbird
Allen’s Hummingbird
The Allen’s Hummingbird is a stocky and compact hummingbird. Their bills are long and about the same length as their head. Their tails are long as well and extend past their wings when perched. This hummingbird species is slightly smaller than an Anna’s Hummingbird and larger than a Calliope Hummingbird.
Adult male Allen’s Hummingbirds have an eye patch, coppery tail, and belly that contrasts with their deep orange forget and bronze-green back. Immature males and females have paler coppery sides and are bronze-green above. They both have some bronze spotting on their throats.
These birds are found on the Pacific coast, southern California, Arizona, and Mexico. They’re medium-distance migrants and residents. Individuals that breed along the coast fly to Mexico for the winter. However, birds that breed around Los Angeles and the Channel Islands are usually year-round residents.
#12 Varied Thrush
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) perched on a branch in Victoria, BC, Canada.
The Varied Thrush is a stocky songbird with rounded, large heads, long legs, and straight bills. They’re commonly seen in a tree or on the ground.
Adult male Varied Thrushes are rich burnt-orange below, dark blue-gray above, have a sooty-black breastband and an orange line over the eye. The wings have orange bars, orange edging to the flight feathers, and are blackish overall. Female Varied Thrushes have similar patterns but are paler overall.
These birds are short-distance migrants. Some birds stay in one place all year, while inland birds migrate south for the winter.
#13 Blackburnian Warbler
The Blackburnian Warbler is a medium-sized warbler with medium-length tails, short, pointed bills, and slim bodies.
Breeding male Blackburnian Warblers have bright orange on their throats and faces. Immature males and females show a hint of this coloration. All birds have a unique triangular facial pattern of gray or black.
These birds are medium-distance migrants. They can be found in the eastern portions of the United States, Southern Canada, the Caribbean, Eastern Mexico, Central America, and South America.
#14 American Avocet
Photograph © Greg Lavaty
The American Avocet is a large yet slender shorebird. They have rounded heads, long, upturned bills, long necks, and long legs.
Breeding male American Avocets have rusty necks and heads that turn gray or white once the breeding season is over. A black patch can be seen on the back, and their legs are bluish-gray.
These birds are medium-distance migrants. They can be found along the southwestern coast, southeastern coast, the central western states of the U.S., southern Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
#15 Altamira Oriole
The Altamira Oriole is a large songbird with a stocky body, long tail, and relatively large head. Their bills are thick at the base but sharply pointed and long towards the tip.
Adults are black and orange, with the brightest orange on the face. They have black on the chin, back, tail, wings, and in front of the eye. Additionally, they have orange shoulders and white wing bars.
Immature Altamira Orioles don’t have the orange shoulders, olive-brown above, and are yellowish-orange overall.
These birds do not migrate and are year-round residents of the southern tip of Texas, Mexico, and Central America.
Which one is your favourite? Or did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below