Beautiful yellow birds are a delight to watch in nature. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some of them have bright yellow plumage all over their bodies, while others have only a splash of yellow on their wings, tails, or heads. Some of them sing melodious songs, while others make harsh calls or screeches. No matter what kind of yellow bird you encounter, you can learn more about their habits, habitats, and behaviors by observing them closely and using a field guide or an app to identify them.
1. American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch, male. © Patricia Velte
The American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a small bird that belongs to the finch family. It lives in North America and migrates seasonally between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It is the only finch that changes its feathers completely twice a year, resulting in different colors for males and females. The male is bright yellow with black wings, tail, and cap in the summer, and olive-green in the winter. The female is dull yellow-brown with black wings and tail all year round. The American goldfinch feeds mainly on seeds from plants such as sunflowers, thistles, and asters. It has a cone-shaped beak and agile feet that help it extract the seeds from the flower heads. It is a social bird that forms large flocks with other finches, especially during winter. It is also a common visitor to bird feeders, where it prefers sunflower and nyjer seeds. The American goldfinch is the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington.
2. Yellow Warbler
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The yellow warbler is a beautiful yellow bird that belongs to the family of New World warblers. It is one of the most widespread and common warblers in North America, ranging from Alaska to northern South America. The male has a bright yellow plumage with chestnut streaks on the breast and flanks, while the female and immature birds are duller and lack the streaks. The yellow warbler prefers to breed in wet habitats, such as willows, thickets, and mangroves, where it builds a cup-shaped nest and lays four to five eggs. The yellow warbler has a sweet whistled song that sounds like "sweet sweet sweet, I'm so sweet".
3. Eurasian Goldfinch
© Sergey Chumakov
The Eurasian Goldfinch is a beautiful yellow bird that belongs to the finch family. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. It has a bright red face, a black and white head, and a yellow wing patch. The Eurasian Goldfinch feeds mainly on seeds, especially thistles and teasels. It also eats insects and berries. It is a social and vocal bird that can form large flocks in winter. It has a pleasant and varied song that consists of trills, twitters, and whistles.
4. Yellow-headed Blackbird
The Yellow-headed Blackbird is a striking bird that lives in wetlands and grasslands of North America. It has a bright yellow head and chest, contrasting with a black body and white wing patches. The male is larger and more colorful than the female, and has a loud, harsh song that can be heard from far away. The Yellow-headed Blackbird feeds on seeds, insects, and aquatic invertebrates, and often forms large flocks with other blackbirds. It nests in colonies over water, weaving a cup-shaped nest from plant material and attaching it to reeds or cattails.
5. Canary
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A canary is a type of small songbird that belongs to the finch family. It has a bright yellow plumage and a melodious voice. Canaries are native to the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores, but they have been bred and kept as pets all over the world. Canaries are popular for their cheerful personality and their ability to learn various tunes. They can live up to 10 years in captivity and require a spacious cage, fresh water, seeds, fruits, and vegetables for a healthy diet.
6. Yellow-crowned Amazon
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The Yellow-crowned Amazon is a species of parrot that belongs to the genus Amazona. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America and the Caribbean, where it inhabits forests, savannas, mangroves and cultivated areas. It is named for its distinctive yellow patch on the crown of its head, which contrasts with its mostly green plumage. The Yellow-crowned Amazon is a beautiful yellow bird that can grow up to 33 cm in length and weigh up to 400 g. It has a loud and varied vocal repertoire, which includes whistles, squawks, mimicry and even human speech. It is a social and intelligent bird that can form strong bonds with its mates and human caregivers. The Yellow-crowned Amazon is considered an endangered species due to habitat loss, illegal trade and hunting.
7. Prothonotary Warbler
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The Prothonotary Warbler is a beautiful yellow bird that belongs to the New World warbler family. It has a bright orange-yellow head, an olive back, and blue-gray wings and tail. It is named after the prothonotaries, who were papal clerks that wore yellow robes in the Roman Catholic Church. This warbler is unique among its family because it nests in holes in dead trees or nest boxes, usually near swamps or other wetlands. It breeds in southeastern Canada and eastern USA, and winters in Central America and northern South America, mainly in mangrove swamps.
8. Yellow-throated Vireo
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The Yellow-throated Vireo lives in open deciduous forests and edges in North and Central America. It has a bright yellow throat and a yellow ring around its eyes, giving it the appearance of wearing spectacles. It is a small but stocky songbird that feeds on insects and berries in the treetops. It builds a thick cup nest on a forked branch.
9. Yellow Oriole
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The yellow oriole belongs to the blackbird family. It is native to Central and South America, where it inhabits tropical and subtropical forests, savannas, and plantations. The yellow oriole feeds mainly on fruits, nectar, and insects, and often hangs upside down from branches to reach its food. It has a melodious song that consists of whistles, trills, and warbles. The yellow oriole builds a long, pendulous nest that hangs from a tree branch or palm frond. The nest is woven from plant fibers, grasses, and sometimes spider webs. The female lays two to four eggs that are pale blue with brown spots. The yellow oriole is not threatened by extinction, but may suffer from habitat loss and fragmentation.
10. Cape Canary
The Cape Canary is a beautiful yellow bird that belongs to the finch family. It is native to southern Africa, where it lives in a variety of habitats, from grasslands to forests. The Cape Canary feeds mainly on seeds, but also eats insects and fruits. It has a melodious song that can be heard throughout the year, especially during the breeding season. The Cape Canary is a social bird that often forms flocks with other finches. It builds a cup-shaped nest in a tree or shrub, and lays three to five eggs. The Cape Canary is not threatened by extinction, but may suffer from habitat loss and predation by cats and other animals.
These are 10 examples of the many beautiful yellow birds that can be found around the world. Birdwatching enthusiasts often seek out these colorful creatures for their striking appearance.
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