19 Yellow Birds With Black on Wings (Inc. Awesome Photos)

Have you spotted a bird in your backyard or in your local bark that you couldn’t identify? You’ve come to the right place!

From familiar backyard visitors to those that prefer a little more privacy, here you’ll find 19 yellow birds with black wings. 

American Goldfinch

Let’s start with one of the most common birds in the United States. The American Goldfinch can be found all over North America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

It has a bright yellow body, black wings, and a white undertail. There isn’t much difference in appearance between sexes, but males are slightly more brilliant in color than females. 

Often seen flitting around backyards, woodlands, fields, and parks in the spring and summer, American Goldfinches have an average wingspan of 8 inches and are typically around 5 inches in length. 

They have a somewhat varied diet and will eat insects during the summer, but they are fond of nyjer seeds.

So, if you want to attract these to your garden, be sure to make sure you’ve filled a couple of bird feeders with these!

Eastern Meadowlark

A medium-sized icterid, the Eastern Meadowlark is characterized by its yellow underparts, black patch on breasts, white flanks, and black-streaked wings.

They also have a grayish-brown head, light-brown tipped tail, and short dark brown bill. 

This species is not known as it is a somewhat elusive bird.

What we do know, however, is that the Eastern Meadowlark spends the warmer months in the Southern Canadian prairies and migrates South to Central America, South America, and Mexico for winter.

It measures around 11 inches and has a wingspan of 14-16 inches. 

Wilson’s Warbler

A small bird measuring just 4 inches in length and tipping the scales at just 0.71 ounces, the Wilson’s Warbler can be identified by its olive-green upperparts, yellow underside, and black crown.

It also has black streaks on its wings and a long tail.

Native to Canada and the Western United States, these birds spend their breeding season at home from April through to late fall.

They then migrate to South Central America and Mexico for the winter, stopping in tall trees to rest throughout their journey. 

Mainly insectivorous, Wilson’s Warblers eat caterpillars, spiders, mosquitos, and small invertebrates. They will also eat seeds and berries when food sources are scarce. 

Scarlet Tanager

Another typical backyard visitor across North America, the Scarlet Tanager, is a medium-sized songbird.

They can be found in deciduous forests, oak trees, and parks. 

Measuring around 7 inches in length and with a 12-inch wingspan, the male Scarlet Tanager can be identified by its bright red head and olive-colored wings.

The female, on the other hand, has a yellow head, olive back, and black wings. 

Scarlet Tanagers are migratory birds and head South to South America and Central America from October to April. They’ll head back home around mid-April to breed throughout North America.

Black-Hooded Oriole

The Black-Hooded Oriole has bright yellow underparts, black wings, face, tail, and bib throughout the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico.

It also features some white markings on its wings. 

This bird’s preferred habitat is palm forests, but it has also been spotted in open shrubs and deciduous forests as well.

It takes advantage of its surroundings to hunt insects and small invertebrates, but it will also feed on the nectar from certain flower species. 

Townsend’s Warbler

This small songbird measures just 5-inches long and can be identified by its olive-green upperparts, black wings, and yellow face.

Their face also features black streaks across the cap’s center and each eye. 

You’re most likely to find a Townsend’s Warbler in Canada’s coniferous forests, but they have also been spotted in Southeast Alaska, New England, Texas, and Louisiana.

This is only during the spring and summer months, though. 

Come winter, this bird migrates to the Northwestern coast of North America and will set up home anywhere from Southern British Columbia to Washington and Oregon.

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

One of the easiest birds to recognize, the Yellow-Headed Blackbird, has a bright yellow head and breast, while the rest of its body is jet black.

They also have a jet black eye and bill, measure around 9 inches in length, and weight can weigh anywhere from 1.6 – 3.5 ounces. 

You’re most likely to spot a Yellow-Headed Blackbird in the marshes of North America or the Great Lakes, although it has been seen as far North as Long Island, Canada, and Michigan.

They also migrate to the Southwestern United States and Mexico during winter. 

They aren’t particularly fussy eaters and will happily dine on seeds and insects, including spiders and earthworms.

They’ve also been known to eat small fish and amphibians, and, during the summer months, they’ll also peck away at ripe fruit. 

Orchard Oriole

Known as one of North America’s most beautiful birds, the Orchard Oriole has a black chin, black throat, and black wings with white streaks.

The rest of its plumage is bright yellow, and it has a pointed bill with a narrow point at the end that it uses for specialized feeding.

This long, narrow bill helps them peck into tiny crevices in trees and vines to get to hiding spiders and insects, giving them the upper edge when it comes to hunting through the summer months.

When the winter rolls around, however, they are happy to eat any seeds they can come across.

From Canada to Mexico and across the United States, you’ll most likely find an Orchard Oriole in a semi-open area filled with deciduous trees.

This includes corn fields, gardens, and orchards, which is their name.

Western Meadowlark

Quite common across North America, the Western Meadowlark measures around 8 inches in length and tops the scales at 4 ounces.

They can be identified by their yellow breast and underparts, while the rest of their body (including the wings) are black. 

The Western Meadowlark also has a long, pointed bill to snatch insects from the air when hunting on the wing.

It also eats seeds and berries and prefers to set up home in open grasslands near a source of water, such as a pond or stream. 

Evening Grosbeak

Most commonly found in coniferous and mixed forests across the mountains of the Western United States and Southern Canada, the Evening Grosbeak is one of the most colorful birds on our list.

Its entire body is covered in bright yellow feathers, with just the wings and cap being black. It measures around 8 inches on average and has a wingspan of 12-14 inches. 

During their breeding season, which runs from April through July, the Evening Grosbeak will feed mainly on insects and berries.

However, as winter approaches and this source of food becomes scarce, they’ll switch to any type of seed they can find.

So, if you want to try attracting one of these to your backyard, make sure you fill your bird feeders with various seeds. 

Evening Grosbeaks also take security in numbers and will fill the branches of trees with large flocks.

This, however, does mean that there are fewer places for other birds to perch, so their behavior can be considered a little “thuggish.” 

Golden-Crowned Kinglet

The Golden-Crowned Kinglet is one of the most challenging birds to spot out in the wild.

This is because it is so tiny, measuring just 4 inches long!

It has olive-green upper parts, black wings with white and green edges, and a distinctive yellow stripe that runs vertically across its cap. 

Its elusiveness becomes even more apparent when you consider that it is only found in the East of the Rocky Mountains, Southern Canada, Eastern Mexico, and Costa Rica. 

During the summer months, the Golden-Crowned Kinglet will roost in moist, deciduous areas.

However, when winter comes around, and these tiny birds need a bit more shelter, they’ll move to coniferous forests where they’ll live high up in the trees, only coming down to search for insects to feed on. 

Common Yellow Throat

The Common Yellow Throat is identifiable by its olive upperparts and tail, black wings, and yellow throat, chest, and belly. It also has a black eye mask with white edges and measures around 5 inches on average. 

Very common throughout North America, their range covers Central Mexico up to Southern Canada.

Their preferred habitat is dense shrubbery in wet marshes, and it’s here that they will breed from February to May.

They’ll then spend the summer getting ready for migration, which takes place around October, where they’ll head further South. 

Common Yellow Throats are famed for their varied appetite and will happily eat insects, spiders, fruits, berries, and seeds.

This means that attracting one into your backyard shouldn’t be too problematic, and you’ll increase your chances by increasing the variety of food you’ve got on offer!

Western Tanager

The Western Tanager is one of the most beautiful birds you’ll ever encounter.

It has a bright yellow underside, bright red head, a black tail, and black wings with white markings. It’s also a medium-sized songbird, measuring around 7 inches long and with a wingspan of 11.5 inches. 

Found most commonly in the area stretching from the Rockies to Colorado (which is where they spend their breeding season), the Western Tanager heads South to Mexico and Guatemala for winter. 

Their diet consists mainly of insects, particularly during the summer months, but they have also been known to eat berries and to feed on the sweet nectar of certain plants. 

Hooded Warbler

The Hooded Warbler is another elusive bird and, in some areas, is considered endangered as it has such specific habitat needs.

They prefer to live in swampy areas, but they have also been found roosting in woodland and forests.

Of course, there are some areas where these habitats are available, and this is where you’re most likely to find a Hooded Warbler, including New Jersey and Southern Florida.

These tiny birds measure around 5 inches in length and can be identified by their bright yellow underparts, black hood, and black-streaked wings. 

They are primarily insectivorous and will eat anything from beetles to caterpillars, hunting by foraging around the ground.

They have also been known to eat seeds and berries when their preferred source of food is scarce. 

Scott’s Oriole

Scott’s Orioles are migratory birds that are native to the Southwestern United States and Central Mexico.

They have bright yellow underparts while the rest of their body is black and measure around 9 inches in length. 

Their preferred habitat is juniper woodland and desert scrublands, where they use their slender, slightly curved bill to pick at insects between the branches of trees.

They’ll also happily eat honeysuckle berries, sumac fruit, mistletoe fruit, trumpet vine, and chaparral seed pods.

Audubon’s Oriole

Another medium-sized songbird, the Audubon’s Oriole measures around 8 inches in length and has a yellow-orange body, black wings, black head, and black tail.

Females look very similar to males but are much duller in color. Both sexes have an identical long, pointy, slightly curved bill.

The Audubon’s Oriole natural habitat is wooded and brushy areas, particularly those near a source of water such as a lake, river, or pond.

Here, they’ll build their pouch-style nests around 5 ft high, suspended on the outer branches of the tree. The female will lay 3-5 blue-white eggs with dark brown spots. 

Their preferred diet is insects during the summer, but they will also happily feed on seeds and the nectar from certain flowers.

They may visit your garden if you put out some sugar water nectar. 

Magnolia Warbler

This tiny bird measures just 5 inches on average and can be identified by its slate-gray upper parts, bright yellow belly, and black wings streaked with white markings.

It also has a black eye mask with a white stripe above and a short pointy bill.

As is common in the bird world, the female is duller in color than the male and has a light gray upper with a pale yellow belly.

Females also do not have a black mask and, instead, have white eye rings and random specks of yellow on their back.

The Magnolia Warbler’s habitat is thick, coniferous forests across North America.

They’ll nest deep inside the tree and produce 1-2 broods, laying 3-5 eggs for each. 

They are unlikely to visit backyard bird feeders as they are incredibly predator-conscious, and their diet consists mainly of insects.

They will feed on fruit available during fall but aren’t known to eat seeds. 

Black-Throated Green Warbler

Another tiny bird, the Black-Throated Green Warbler, measures around 4 inches long and has a bright yellow head, black wings, black throat, and olive green back.

It also features black and white streaks across each side of its body.

There isn’t much difference in appearance between males and females, other than the female having a white throat instead of black. 

Native to North America, these migratory birds head further South for the winter.

While in North America, they’ll breed and build a small, cup-shaped nest up to 10 feet off the ground in the trees of a coniferous forest. 

They will only have one brood each year, and the female will lay 3-5 tiny eggs, which she’ll incubate for 12 days before they hatch. 

The Black-Throated Green Warbler is almost exclusively insectivorous, which means that they are pretty unlikely to visit a bird table.

They will feed on berries during their migration but as such elusive birds, they’re more likely to stick to a natural food source and avoid human contact wherever possible. 

Lesser Goldfinch

This tiny bird lives in the West and Southwest of North America and can most commonly be seen flitting around California and Arizona mountain ranges.

It has, however, also been recorded in Utah, Texas, New Mexico, and Nevada. 

Measuring around 5 inches in length, they can be identified by their bright yellow underparts and breast, olive-green back, and black wings with white markings.

They also tend to live in groups, with about five to six Lesser Goldfinches making up a flock.

Like all members of the Finch family, the Lesser Goldfinch has a varied appetite and enjoys insects, spiders, seeds, berries, and fruit.

They also have a real fondness for nyjer seed, and their narrow bills are specially evolved to help them get to these tiny seeds without much effort. 

Final Thoughts

Yellow birds with black on their wings are more common than you might think, and hopefully, this list of 19 different species has helped prove that to you!

So, next time you see a flash of yellow in your backyard or while exploring nature, check out this article to help you identify what it is you’ve just seen!