25 Orange Birds in North America (Inc. Awesome Photos)

Have you seen an orange bird out in the wild or hanging from your backyard bird feeders recently, but haven’t been 100% sure what it is. We’re here to help!

Below, you’ll find a list of 25 orange birds from all across North America.

We’ll look at their identifying features, talk about how you can attract them to your own backyard, and more. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s start exploring the world of orange birds!

Quick Answer

Need a quick-reference list of orange birds from across North America? You’ve come to the right place! Here are the top 10:

• Blackburnian Warbler
• Orchard Oriole
• Flame-Colored Tanager
• Streak-Backed Oriole
• Western Spindalis
• Brambling
• Western Tanager
• American Robin
• Baltimore Oriole
• Northern Red Bishop

Now, let’s learn more about each of these orange birds including habitat, feeding habits, and more!

Blackburnian Warbler

We’re kicking off our list with the striking Blackburnian Warbler.

Measuring around 4.5-inches long, this little bird can be identified by its orange breast and throat, yellow underparts, and black wings marked with white.

It also has a yellow and black striped face. The orange colors are only present in the male Blackburnian Warbler, while females sport yellow feathers instead.

A migratory bird, the Blackburnian Warbler spends the breeding season in most Eastern United States where it sets up home in forests and woodlands.

Here, it searches for insects and caterpillars to feed on. 

You can attract the Blackburnian Warbler into your garden by planting native, insect-attracting shrubs, bushes, and trees. This offers them a place to both feed and shelter. 

Orchard Oriole

The Orchard Oriole can be identified by its rust-orange breast and underparts, along with the jet black feathers that cover the rest of its body.

Like many songbirds, there is a difference in appearance between the sexes though, and these orange markings are only present in males.

Females sport olive green feathers all over their body, with slightly paler underparts. 

Another migratory bird to North America, the Orchard Oriole is most commonly found in Eastern and Central States throughout the breeding season.

Come fall, they take to the skies and head South towards Central America and Mexico. 

The best place to spot an Orchard Oriole is in open areas such as woodland clearings, farmlands, and orchards.

Here, the search for insects to feed on as well as sweet flower nectar.

The Orchard Oriole isn’t shy when it comes to visiting backyard feeders, and can be attracted with an offering of dried fruit or sliced oranges placed on a platform feeder. 

Flame-Colored Tanager

A medium-sized songbird, the male Flame-Colored Tanager measures around 7-inches in length and is most easily identified by its bright orange underparts, breast, and face.

It also has black and white wings with olive green wing bars. Female Flame-Colored Tanagers are a paler orange, almost yellow, but all other markings remain the same. 

The Flame-Colored Tanager is only found in Texas and Arizona and, even then, sightings are quite rare.

This means that attracting this colorful bird to your backyard is quite difficult.

The difficulty increases when we take their preferred habitat of dense woodland into account, from which they very rarely stray. 

They are migratory birds though, so you may be in with a chance of spotting a Flame-Colored Tanager in early spring or late fall as they start their long journeys to and from their native Central America and Mexico. 

Streak-Backed Oriole

Another rare visitor to North America, the Streak-Backed Oriole can be identified by its bright orange head, breast, underparts, and back.

It also has black and white wings, black markings on the back, a black throat, and a black eye mask. 

Streak-Backed Orioles that do venture into the United States for the breeding season will only ever set up home in Southwestern States.

Here, they can be found nesting in grasslands, woodlands, and occasionally backyards. 

Come fall, the Streak-Backed Oriole starts its long migratory journey back to its native Central American and Mexico.

They are almost exclusively insectivorous, especially during the summer months, but you may be able to entice the Streak-Backed Oriole into your backyard during the migration season by planting native, insect-attracting shrubs. 

Western Spindalis

The Western Spindalis is a beautiful bird that sports a patchwork of colors and markings. It has a rust orange throat, breast, neck, and rump.

It also sports a dark green patch on the back, white underparts, black and white striped tail and wings, and a black and white striped head. 

You’ll need to head to Southern Florida to catch a glimpse of the Western Spindalis, as this is the only place in the United States they reside.

They are native to the tropical and subtropical forests of the Caribbean, and they rarely stray from these environments. 

This does also mean that it’s quite difficult to attract the Western Spindalis to your backyard.

However, if you live in Southern Florida you may be able to attract it by placing seeds, fruits, and berries in your bird feeders.

They also feed on insects and may visit gardens planted with insect-attracting trees and shrubs. 

Brambling

Members of the Finch family, the Brambling can be identified by its rust orange breast, dark brown head with black eye mask, pale underparts and black, white, and orange streaked wings.

Male and female Bramblings are almost identical in appearance, although the females are slightly duller in color. 

Found mainly in Alaska, the Brambling is a migratory bird that heads further South for the winter.

Their numbers are greater in Asia and Europe, and they are quite common visitors to backyard bird feeders.

An offering of their favorite Nyjer seeds is almost guaranteed to entice the Brambling into your garden, although they will also happily peck away at sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet. 

Western Tanager

One of North America’s resident birds, the Western Tanager can be found in most Western States.

Its main identifying feature is its bright orange head, which contrasts beautifully with its vivid yellow breast and underparts.

It also has black wings marked with white, and a small yellow patch on each shoulder and across the neck. 

The best place to find a Western Tanager is in conifer forests. However, despite being so brightly colored, they can be quite hard to spot. This is because they nest very high up in the canopy of the trees. 

You can increase your chances of seeing a Western Tanager by attracting it to your backyard with cut oranges and dried fruit.

They’ll also feed happily from platform feeders and hanging feeders.

American Robin

The American Robin is one of the most common backyard birds found in North America, and it can be spotted in almost every State.

Instantly recognizable, the American Robin can be identified by its famous rust-orange breast, dark upperparts, and dark head.

It also has a bright yellow beak that stands out magnificently against its other markings. 

Due to their commonality, it’s really easy to attract the American Robin to your backyard. Platform feeders filled with seeds, peanuts, mealworms, and suet are almost guaranteed to draw them in.

They’ll also be one of the first birds to visit your lawn after rainfall in search of earthworms to feast on. 

Baltimore Oriole

Another of North America’s migratory birds, the Baltimore Oriole arrives in spring and sets up home for the breeding season in most Central and Eastern States.

Some will head as far North as Southern Canada, but most are found along the Eastern United States. 

The male Baltimore Oriole can be identified by its bright orange underparts and breasts, along with a jet black head and black and white wings.

He also sports a flash of orange on each shoulder and along the edges of the tail. Female Baltimore Orioles have no orange color at all and, instead, have pale yellow underparts and gray-brown wings. 

You can attract Baltimore Oriole to your backyard by hanging sliced oranges from a tree, or by placing them on a platform feeders.

They also have quite a sweet tooth, and you can increase your chances of enticing them into your garden by filling a Hummingbird feeder with sugar water nectar. 

Northern Red Bishop

The Northern Red Bishop is an exotic-looking bird that can be identified by its bright orange breast, throat, neck and cap.

It also has a matching bright orange tail, while the head and underparts are jet black.

As with most birds, the male is the more colorful of the two sexes, and female Northern Red Bishops are similarly patterned but have brown and white markings instead. 

Native to Africa, the Northern Red Bishop was accidentally introduced to North America as the result of escaped pets.

They have adapted quite well although they are only found in Texas, Florida, and California. 

Seeds and insects make up the majority of the Northern Red Bishop’s diet, and they can be attracted to your garden with mealworms, sunflower seeds, or Nyjer seeds.

Remember, however, that they have a very limited range so don’t expect to see a Northern Red Bishop in your backyard unless you live in the States mentioned above.

Allen’s Hummingbird

One of the smallest birds on the planet, the Allen’s Hummingbird measures just 3.5-inches in length and has an average wingspan of 4.5-inches.

It can be identified by its beautiful, iridescent orange and green throat, pale orange underparts, and white breast. It also has a green cap and orange-brown cheeks. 

These markings are incredibly similar to the Rufous Hummingbird, and the Allen’s Hummingbird is often mistaken for its doppelganger.

The difference between the two lies in the tail though, with the Allen’s Hummingbird having a much broader tail. 

Migratory birds, you can spot the Allen’s Hummingbird in Oregon and California during the breeding season.

Come fall, they start their long journey towards Mexico, although some may remain resident in Los Angeles all year round. 

You can attract the Allen’s Hummingbird by filling a Hummingbird feeder with sugar water nectar, or including plants with tubular-shaped flowers in your garden. 

Spot-Breasted Oriole

The Spot-Breasted Oriole is one of the rarer orange birds you’ll find in North America, and is only ever found along the Gulf Coast and Florida.

There isn’t a huge population of them in these areas either, and most reside in their native Central America and Mexico.

You can identify the Spot-Breasted Oriole by its bright orange head, underparts, and legs.

It also has black wings streaked with orange, a black eye mask, black bib, and an orange chest spotted with black, from which it takes its name. 

Their preferred habitat is open woodlands, and here they feed on insects, nectar, and fruits.

They have been known to visit bird feeders, albeit rarely, and you can increase your chances of attracting this beautiful but elusive bird into your garden by placing sliced oranges on a platform feeder.

Stonechat

Members of the Thrush family, the Stonechat can be identified by its rust-orange breast, dark upperparts and head, and white patch on either side of the neck.

They are quite small birds as well, measuring around 12.5cm in length and with an average wingspan of 20cm.

Males and females are similar in appearance, although female Stonechats are duller in color. 

Not very much is known about the Stonechat as it’s one of North America’s rarest bird species, arriving accidentally from its native Europe.

Those that do make their way to the United States only ever reside in Southern and Central States.

Spotted Towhee

Found across North America all year round, the Spotted Towhee can be identified by its black upperparts, tail, and head along with a white breast and underparts.

It also sports a dark orange patch on either side of the breast while its wings are marked with its namesake white spots. 

Members of the Sparrow family, the Spotted Towhee is often spotted foraging in grassy areas for insects, seeds, and acorns to feed on.

Their numbers are greater in Southern States, and these increase during the winter months as other Spotted Towhees from further North head Southwards for the warmer temperatures. 

It’s really easy to attract the Spotted Towhee into your garden thanks to their varied diet and almost insatiable appetite.

They’ll happily feed on millet, cracked corn, and any type of sunflower seeds.

However, as they are a ground-feeding bird it would be best to use either a ground feeder or platform feeder. 

Northern Cardinal

You might be surprised to find the Northern Cardinal on this list of orange birds given that they are famed for their bright red feathers.

Interestingly, however, some actually have orange feathers and this is due to a nutrient deficiency. 

Found across Southern and Eastern States, the Northern Cardinal is a common backyard visitor and can be attracted to bird feeders with sunflower seeds, millet, milo, peanut hearts, and suet.

They’ll also happily feed from any type of bird feeder.

It is worth noting, however, that the Northern Cardinal is an extremely territorial bird and can act aggressively to other birds if they feel their territory or food source is threatened.

If you’ve been experiencing this issue, simply remove your bird feeders for a couple of weeks.

The Northern Cardinal will soon find somewhere else to feed and, even better, it won’t take long for your regular feathered friends to head back to their favorite eatery! 

Bullock’s Oriole

As with most Orioles, the male Bullock’s Oriole is the more colorful of the two sexes. He can be identified by a bright orange breast, underparts, and face.

He also has black and white wings, a black cap, and a black stripe across each eye. Females, on the other hand, have a pale yellow color in place of the male’s orange markings and gray backs. 

The best place to spot a Bullock’s Oriole is in parks or open woodlands, although they are only found in the Western United States.

Come fall, they start their migratory journey South to spend the winter months in Mexico.

You can attract the Bullock’s Oriole to backyard bird feeders with sliced fresh or dry fruit, sugar water nectar, or grape jelly! 

American Redstart

Another small, orange bird, the American Redstart measures just 4.5-inches and has an average wingspan of 7-inches.

Males are most easily identified by the bright orange patches under the wings, along with the orange patches on their wings and tail.

They also have pale underparts, while all other feathers across their body are jet black. 

The American Redstart calls deciduous woodland its home, and here it looks for insects and berries to feed on. It also has a wide range and can be found in almost every Eastern State.

Come fall, however, the American Redstart leaves its Eastern home and heads towards Central States for the warmer temperatures. 

You can attract the American Redstart to your backyard by planting native, fruiting bushes such as magnolia and serviceberry. These will also attract insects, increasing your chances of enticing it even more. 

Black-Headed Grosbeak

One of North America’s summer visiting birds, the Black-Headed Grosbeak heads to the Western United States for the breeding season.

Here, it occupies many different habitats including mixed woodland, deciduous forest, parks, and backyards. As long as there is a source of water close by, they are happy to nest there!

You can identify the male Black-Headed Grosbeak by its orange breast, underparts, and neck.

It also has black and white wings and, of course, its namesake black head. Females are slightly different in appearance with brown markings in place of black and slightly paler orange breasts. 

Sunflower seeds are a particular favorite food of the Black-Headed Grosbeak, so be sure to fill your feeders with these if you’d like to attract this beautiful bird to your garden. 

Varied Thrush

The male Varied Thrush can be identified by its orange breast and throat, black eye mask and cap, and black upperparts. It also has black and orange wings, while the underparts are a pale white.

Females, on the other hand, are much paler in color and have brown markings in place of black.

In terms of size, the Varied Thrush measures around 8.5-inches long and has an average wingspan of 14-inches. 

The Varied Thrush spends the breeding season in Northwestern Canada and Alaska before heading further South towards California for the winter.

Some do not migrate at all though, and those that are found in British Columbia and some other Northwestern States remain resident all year round.

The best place to spot a Varied Thrush is in dense forests, as they very rarely venture out from this habitat.

Some may head towards backyard feeders during the winter when insects are a little more scarce, and you can increase your chances of enticing it in by offering seeds and berries. 

Eastern Towhee

Another member of the Sparrow family, the male Eastern Towhee can be identified by its black head and back, white underparts, and rust-orange sides.

It also has black and white wings and a black tail edged with white markings. Female Eastern Towhees are similar in appearance, but have dark brown markings in place of black.

You can spot the Eastern Towhee in all Southeastern States all year round, and their numbers increase in these areas during the winter as birds from other parts of North America head Southwards for the warmer winter temperatures. 

A platform feeder is the best way to attract the Eastern Towhee to your backyard.

Simply scatter some sunflower seeds, millet, or cracked corn on top and it won’t be long until you see an Eastern Towhee feeding in your garden!

Rufous Hummingbird

Another of the planet’s smallest birds, the Rufous Hummingbird measures just 3.2-inches on average and has a wingspan of just 4.3-inches.

Male Rufous Hummingbirds can be identified by their iridescent bright orange throat, orange underparts, and orange back.

They also have a white patch just under the throat and an olive green cap. 

The Rufous Hummingbird feeds on tiny, flying insects including gnats and midges, but they are particularly fond of feeding on flower nectar.

There are a few ways you can attract the Rufous Hummingbird into your garden as well.

Filling a Hummingbird feeder with sugar water nectar is perhaps the easiest, but you can also include plants with tubular-shaped flowers in your garden if you’d like to increase your chances.

You can spot the Rufous Hummingbird in North America from mid-April to August. Outside of these months they head to the Gulf Coast and Mexico for winter. 

Hooded Oriole

There are no prizes for guessing where the male Hooded Oriole got its name from! Its bright orange cap runs down either side of its neck and into its breast and underparts.

Combined with its black face and breast, these markings create the perfect illusion of wearing a hood.

The female Hooded Oriole has no black face markings and, in place of orange feathers, sports olive-green plumage instead.

A migratory bird, the Hooded Oriole spends the breeding season in most of the Southern United States before heading back to Mexico for the winter months.

Some, however, remain in Texas or California all year round due to the ease with which they can find food from nectar feeders. 

Scarlet Tanager

While the Scarlet Tanager is most famed for its namesake red markings, it also has some orange markings across the breast and underparts.

Its head is bright red, while the wings and tail are dark brown and streaked with white. 

Another summer visitor to North America, the Scarlet Tanager spends the breeding season in the Eastern United States.

Once fall rolls around, it takes to the skies and starts its long migratory journey back to South America. 

Scarlet Tanagers aren’t shy when it comes to visiting bird feeders, and they can be attracted to backyards with fresh or dried fruits.

Planting fruit-bearing trees and bushes such as raspberries and strawberries will also help attract the Scarlet Tanager to your garden.

Say’s Phoebe

The Say’s Phoebe is the last entry on our list of North America’s orange birds, and it can be identified by its pale orange underparts, white breast, and gray upperparts.

They are members of the Flycatcher family and spend the breeding season in Southern Canada, Alaska, and some other Northern States. 

As the Say’s Phoebe is a member of the Flycatcher family, its diet exclusively consists of insects.

This can make attracting it to your garden quite difficult, but it isn’t impossible.

Choosing native, insect-attracting plants and bushes will help to draw it in, as will installing nest boxes for them to shelter in during their migratory journey to Mexico.

Final Thoughts

Each of the orange birds we’ve listed above can be found in certain parts of North America but, as with all wildlife, some are much rarer than others!

This doesn’t mean they are unattainable though, and with the correct (or by looking in the right place) you should be able to tick each of them off your bird watching list!