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Small Blue Bird Black Head and Wings Shiny Cowbird

Green Heron

Green Heron: This small heron has gray-green upperparts, chestnut brown head, neck, and upper breast, and a paler brown belly. It has a green-black cap with a small crest and a white throat. The neck has a white central stripe. The bill is two-toned with a dark upper mandible and yellow lower. During the breeding season bill is black. It is an opportunistic feeder with fish as the primary food source. Direct flight. Sexes are similar.

American Coot

American Coot: Medium-sized, chicken-like swimming bird, dark gray to black overall, short, white bill and undertail coverts. Toes are lobed, not webbed. Upper edge of frontal shield is red, but usually only visible at close range. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats, feet protrude past tail.

Brandt's Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorant: Medium crestless cormorant with dull black body. Face, back have slender white plumes. Bright blue throat pouch bordered with yellow. Dives for fish, crabs and shrimp. Holds wings out to dry. Strong direct flight with rapid, powerful wing beats, flies in straight line formation.

Common Loon

Common Loon: Large loon, white-spotted, black upperparts and white underparts. Head, neck are green-black with white-streaked neckbands. Bill is black and thick. Eyes are red-brown. Dives for small fish and crustaceans. Direct flight on strong deep wing beats, head, neck and feet extend beyond body.

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant: Medium cormorant with iridescent black body and orange throat pouch. Western birds have white feather tufts over each eye in early summer. Pale bill is long and hooked. Black legs and feet. Feeds on fish, amphibians and crustaceans. Strong direct flight, soars on thermals.

Pelagic Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant: Small cormorant with glossy black body and bold white patches on flanks. Red face and throat pouch. Head and neck are held straight in flight, with head appearing no wider than neck. Feeds on fish, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Graceful direct flight with rapid wing beats.

White-faced Ibis

White-faced Ibis: This medium-sized wading bird is iridescent bronze-brown overall and has a thin band of white feathers around its bare red face, a long, down curved bill, and red eyes, legs and feet. It feeds on invertebrates, frogs and fish. It alternates several shallow rapid wing beats and short glides, and flies in a straight line formation. Sexes are similar.

Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie: Large, noisy jay, mostly black, with very long tail and dark, stout bill. Wings and tail are iridescent blue and green-black. White belly and sides. Eats insects, larvae, carrion. Direct flight on shallow, steady wing beats. Often glides between perches or from perch to ground.

Yellow-billed Magpie

Yellow-billed Magpie: Large jay with black hood, back and breast, featherless, pale yellow spot behind eye, and white belly. Bill is yellow. Upperwings are iridescent blue-green with large white shoulder patches. Tail is iridescent green-black, very long, and wedge-shaped. Legs and feet are black.

Mallard

Mallard: This medium-sized duck has a gray body, chestnut-brown breast, green head, white neck ring, yellow bill, wing speculum is white-bordered metallic purple-blue, white edged dark tail, two curled black feathers, and orange legs and feet. Feeds on insects and crustaceans. Females are mottled brown with orange-brown bills and no curled tail feathers. Swift direct flight with strong wing beats.

Northern Pintail

Northern Pintail: This large duck has gray and black upperparts, white neck and underparts, gray sides, long black pointed tail, brown head, throat and nape. White stripe divides front and back of neck, green speculum is bordered by buff. Feeds on seeds and aquatic insects. Females are mottled brown all over with slim, tan head, long neck and a shorter tail. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup: Medium-sized diving duck has finely barred gray back and gray-washed white underparts. Head, neck and breast are black with purple gloss. It has yellow eyes, blue-gray bill, black tail and black wings with white patches. Females are chocolate brown with lighter sides, red-brown head and white patch at base of dark gray bill. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, seeds and vegetative plants. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

American Wigeon

American Wigeon: This is a medium-sized duck with a brown body, white crown, a large green ear patch extending to the back of the head, buff washed breast and sides and a white belly. It has a swift direct flight with strong wing beats. Shoulder patches are visible in flight. It has a black-tipped pale blue bill. It feeds on aquatic plants, insects and mollusks.

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck: This medium-sized diving duck has black upperparts, a weakly tufted, purple-black head, black neck, upper breast and tail, cinnamon collar, white lower breast and belly, pale gray sides, and a blue-gray bill with a white ring near the black tip. Female is drab brown with white eye ring. Feeds on submerged plants and aquatic invertebrates. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Surf Scoter

Surf Scoter: This medium-sized diving duck is entirely black except for white patches on the forehead and nape. It has an orange, black and white bill, white eyes and orange legs and feet. The female is less distinctly marked with smudgy face patches and dark bill. It dives for food, primarily mollusks and crustaceans. Rapid direct flight with strong wing beats. Flies in straight line formation.

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler: This is a medium-sized dabbling duck with a large spoon-shaped bill. Males have a dark green head, dark bill, orange legs, yellow eyes, white breast and chestnut patch on the flanks; females are mottled light brown with orange-brown bill and legs and dark eyes. They feed mostly on aquatic plants and seeds. They have a strong direct flight with powerful rapid wing beats.

Brewer's Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird: Medium-sized blackbird with purple gloss on head and neck and green gloss on body and wings. Eyes are yellow. Follows farm tractors and plows. Forages on ground. Feeds on caterpillars, insects, fruits, seeds and grains. Strong, swift and direct flight with rapidly beating wings.

Brown-headed Cowbird

Brown-headed Cowbird: Small blackbird with glossy brown head, heavy bill, and dark eyes. The black body has a faint green sheen. Walks on ground to forage and holds tail cocked over back. Feeds on caterpillars, insects, spiders, fruits, grains and seeds. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Bufflehead

Bufflehead: This small diving duck is mostly white with a glossy green-black to purple-black head and back. The head has a large white patch behind eye. The wings are dark with white patches visible in flight. It feeds on aquatic plant seeds, and insects, larvae and snails. It has a swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye: Medium diving duck, white-striped black upperparts, white underparts. Head is iridescent green-black with white circular patch between yellow eyes and dark gray bill. Wings are dark with large white patches conspicuous in flight. Legs and feet are yellow. Swift, direct flight.

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser: This medium-sized diving duck has black upperparts, gray sides, rust-brown breast, white belly, green head, double crests and neck, and white neck ring. The long thin bill, legs and feet are bright orange. Females are brown-gray with gray-washed, red-brown head, double crest and white breast and belly. Feeds mostly on small fish. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Ruddy Duck

Ruddy Duck: This small, bright red-brown duck has a black cap extending below the eyes onto the nape, heavy blue bill and black tail. Some males have an all black head lacking white cheek patches. Females have a gray-brown neck and body, dull buff-brown head and neck sides, with a stripe across pale-gray cheek patch. Feeds on aquatic invertebrates and vegetation. Direct flight on rapid wing beats.

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture: Medium vulture, mostly black with red, featherless head and upper neck. Wings are held in a shallow V in flight. One of the few birds of prey that is able to use its sense of smell to find food. They are attracted to the smell of mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay.

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird: Small blackbird with jet-black body and bright red shoulder patches edged with yellow on bottom. Runs or hops while foraging on the ground. Eats seeds, grains, berries, fruits, insects, caterpillars, spiders, snails, grubs and mollusks. Strong direct flight on rapid wing beats.

European Starling

European Starling: Small, chunky, iridescent purple and green blackbird with long, pointed yellow bill, pink legs, and short tail. The feathers on back and undertail show buff edges. Feeds in open areas, normally on the ground. Strong, direct and swift flight on rapidly beating wings.

Band-tailed Pigeon

Band-tailed Pigeon: Large dove, small, purple-gray head and broad neck with distinctive, thin white band on nape. Back and wings are purple-gray, underparts grade from purple-gray neck and breast to white belly. Tail is pale gray, dark band at base. Bill, legs,feet are yellow. Swift direct flight.

Rock Pigeon

Rock Pigeon: This is a large, highly variably colored dove. The wild form has a gray body, dark blue-gray head, neck, breast, and white rump. The wings are gray with two black bars. It has a gray rounded tail with a dark terminal band. Forages on the ground; feeds on grass, seeds, grains, clover and berries. Swift direct flight. Sexes are similar.

Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove: This medium-sized dove has gray-brown upperparts and pink-brown underparts. The eyes are dark with a small black spot beneath. It has a dark bill, gray-brown wings with black spots and dark primaries. The tail is long and pointed, with black-edged white tips on outer feathers. Mostly feeds on seeds. Swift direct flight. Sexes are similar, but the male is slightly larger.

Anna's Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird; male has bronze-green upperparts, dull gray underparts. Hood and throat are iridescent red, may appear black or dark purple in low light; broken white eye-ring is usually visible. Tail is dark green with black outer tail feathers. Feeds on nectar, insects, spiders, and sap.

Allen's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird: Small, compact hummingbird; male has straight black bill, glittering green crown and back, white breast, and rufous sides, belly, rump, and tail. The throat (gorget) is iridescent copper-red. Female similar but lacks bright gorget. Feeds on nectar, insects, spiders, and sap. Swift direct flight, hovers when feeding.

Acorn Woodpecker

Acorn Woodpecker: Medium-sized, clown-faced woodpecker. The male has a red crown, white forehead and glossy black face and body. The breast is white with black streaking; belly and rump are white. Yellow-tipped throat feathers may be present. Wings are black with white patches. Eyes are white. Female is similar except for a black patch between the white forehead and red crown. The juvenile has a dark eye.

Black-backed Woodpecker

Black-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black back, black wings with white spots on flight feathers, barred flanks, white underparts. Head has a conspicuous white cheek mark and yellow crown. Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Black bill is long and stout. Legs and feet are gray.

Lewis's Woodpecker

Lewis's Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker with dark green-black upperparts and hood. Face is dark red, collar is gray, belly is pale red. The bill, legs and feet are black. It was named for Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Its dark plumage sets it apart from all other North American woodpeckers.

Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker: Large woodpecker with mostly black body and white wing linings which are visible in flight. The head has a prominent red crest and cap, white face and neck stripes and a red moustache stripe, and large gray bill. Legs and feet are gray. The largest woodpecker in North America.

White-headed Woodpecker

White-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker, mostly black with large white wing patches. Head and throat are white; nape patch is red and narrow. Small black stripe behind the eye. Bill is black and small. Legs and feet are black. This is the only North American woodpecker with a white head.

Williamson's Sapsucker

Williamson's Sapsucker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black back and white rump. Bright red throat, breast is black, belly is yellow, and flanks are barred black-and-white. Black head has two white facial stripes. Black wings have large white shoulder patches. Tail is black, legs and feet are gray.

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow: Medium-sized swallow with iridescent blue-green upperparts and white underparts. The wings are dark gray and tail is dark and forked. Black bill, legs and feet. Swift, graceful flight, alternates slow, deep wing beats with short or long glides. Turns back sharply on insects it passes.

Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow: Small, stocky swallow, dark blue-gray upperparts, pale orange-brown rump, buff underparts. Forehead is white or buff while throat, sides of face are orange-brown. Crown is blue-black, bill is short and black. Tail is dark and squared. Legs and feet are gray. Catches insects in flight.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird with metallic green upperparts, gray underparts, white breast, green-washed flanks. Head appears black overall with white spot behind eye; cap is very dark green. Throat is iridescent violet; bill is long and slightly decurved. Forked tail is dark green with black outer tail feathers.

Violet-green Swallow

Violet-green Swallow: Small swallow, dark, metallic green upperparts, iridescent purple rump. Face, sides of rump, underparts are white. Tail is slightly forked. Black bill, legs and feet. Swift, graceful flight, alternates several quick wing beats with long glides. Soars on thermals and updrafts.

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting: Small finch with brilliant, almost iridescent, blue plumage. Crown is darker blue with a purple tint. Wings and tail are black with blue edges. Feeds on insects, larvae, grains, seeds, berries. Short flights low over vegetation, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.

Phainopepla

Phainopepla: Small, flycatcher-like bird with glossy black body. Head has distinct crest and short, thin, black bill. Wings have large white patches visible in flight. Tail is long. Iris is red. Legs and feet are black. Feeds primarily on mistlestoe berries and small insects. Direct flight is high and fluttery.

Blue-throated Mountain-gem

Blue-throated Hummingbird: Large hummingbird with bronze-green upperparts, bronze-brown rump, brilliant purple-blue throat, gray underparts. Tail is dark, occasionally washed with blue-black, and has white corners. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Broad-billed Hummingbird: Medium-sized hummingbird with metallic green body and vibrant blue throat. Bill is bright red with black tip. Tail is black, forked, and has white undertail coverts. Legs and feet are black.Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird with green upperparts and flanks, iridescent red throat, and gray underparts. Dark green tail may show some rufous. Black bill is long and straight. Black legs, feet. Feeds on nectar, spiders, sap and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Calliope Hummingbird

Calliope Hummingbird: Very small hummingbird, metallic green upperparts and flanks, white underparts. Throat feathers are long, purple-red, appearing as streaks on a white background, whiskers when fluffed out, or dark, inverted V when folded. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Costa's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird with green back, pale gray underparts and dull green flanks. Crown and throat patch are brilliant metallic purple. Straight black bill. Tail is green with black outer tail feathers. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on nectar, spiders, sap and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird, iridescent green upperparts, head, flanks. Underparts are pale gray, paler breast, green wash on sides, belly; throat is bright red with black chin. Tail is dark, forked. Feeds primarily on nectar. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Rufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird, bright rufous-brown overall with white breast and ear patch, red-orange throat, and green shoulders. Rounded tail is rufous with black edges. Some males show green on back and head. Feeds on insects and nectar. Direct and hovering flight with rapid wing beats.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Violet-crowned Hummingbird: Medium-sized hummingbird with iridescent bronze-green upperparts and white underparts. Cap is purple-blue; throat is white and lacks gorget feathers. The bill is bright red with black tip. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

White-collared Swift

White-collared Swift: Very large swift, gray-black overall with blue gloss on breast and back. White collar is distinct. Bill, legs and feet are black. The flight is strong and fast. Rapid shallow wing beats followed with long glides. Soars on thermals and updrafts, ranging many miles daily to feed.

Vaux's Swift

Vaux's Swift: Small swift, gray-brown body, sometimes highlighted by slight green iridescence. Rump is pale brown, throat and breast are nearly white. Bill, legs, feet are gray-black. Flight is low and fast, alternates bursts of quick fluttery wing beats with short glides. Catches insects in flight.

Purple Martin

Purple Martin: Large, vocal swallow with glossy dark purple-blue body and forked tail. It is the largest North American swallow. Black bill, legs and feet. Stong, graceful flight, alternates a few rapid wing beats with long glides. Catches and eats insects in flight and also forages on the ground.

Chimney Swift

Chimney Swift: Medium-sized swift, uniformly dark brown with slightly paler throat and upper breast. Inconspicuous spines extend past web at tips of tail feathers. Bill, legs and feet are black. Flight is rapid and batlike on swept-back wings, alternates with gliding. Soars on thermals and updrafts.

Black Swift

Black Swift: Large, bulky swift, black overall. Wrist (wing angle) is very close to body. Long, slightly forked tail, often fanned out. It is the largest North American swift. Spends most of its time thousands of feet in the air. It flies on stiff, shallow wingbeats. Soars on thermals and updrafts.

Ring-necked Pheasant

Ring-necked Pheasant: This large chicken-like pheasant has a metallic-brown body, iridescent green head, white neck ring, red eye patch and wattles, and a long pointed tail. Female is pale brown overall with dark markings, has shorter tail and lacks wattle. Diet includes seeds and insects. Swift direct flight with strong wing beats. First introduced to California from Asia as a game bird in 1857.

Common Ground Dove

Common Ground-Dove: Small, rounded dove with plain gray-brown back and scaled pink-gray head and breast. Eyes are red and bill is orange-red with black tip. The wings show rufous primaries in flight. Tail is short. Legs and feet are pink. Forages on ground. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

White-winged Dove

White-winged Dove: Medium-sized, stout dove with gray-brown upperparts, gray underparts, and small, black crescent below eye. The wings are dark gray with broad white stripes. Tail is short and brown with white corners. Bill is gray. Legs and feet are red. Fast direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe: This large grebe has dark gray upperparts and cap, white lower face and nape, white underparts with gray flanks, red-brown neck and dark brown eyes. It has a long thick yellow bill with a dark tip and black legs and feet. Dives for small fish and crustaceans. Direct flight on rapid wing beats. Sexes are similar.

Black Scoter

Black Scoter: Medium diving duck, entirely black except for yellow knob at base of black bill. Legs and feet are black. The male is the only all black duck in North America. Dives for food, primarily eats mollusks. Strong direct flight with rapid wing beats. Flies in straight line and V formation.

White-winged Scoter

White-winged Scoter: Medium sea duck, mostly black except for white eye patches, large white wing patches. Bill is orange with large black basal knob. Red-orange legs, feet. Dives to 40 feet, feeds primarily on shellfish. Direct flight with steady wing beats. Flies in straight line or V formation.

Green-winged Teal

Green-winged Teal: This small dabbling duck has pale, gray-barred sides and a buff breast with a white bar down the side. The head is chestnut-brown with a green ear patch, the bill is dark gray, and the legs and feet are olive-gray. The speculum is flashy green bordered with brown above and white below. Diet includes seeds, insects and grasses. Flight is often low and erratic.

Painted Redstart

Painted Redstart: Medium warbler with black head, upperparts, bright red breast and belly. Wings are black with large, white patches. White arc beneath eye. Tail is black with thick, white edges. It only eats insects, and forages for them on the ground and in trees. It also catches them in flight.

Harlequin Duck

Harlequin Duck: Small diving duck, blue-gray upperparts and underparts, rust-brown flanks. Back, breast and neck have vivid black-bordered white bars. Tail is dark and relatively long. Gray legs, feet. Feeds on insects, mollusks and crustaceans. Rapid direct flight, often low over the water.

Steller's Eider

Steller's Eider: Small eider with black back and collar, white sides, buff-brown underparts with small but distinct black spot on side. White head has a dark tuft, black eye patch and chin. Wings are white with black primaries and a white-bordered blue speculum. Blue-gray bill, legs and feet.

Wood Duck

Wood Duck: Small tree duck with brown back, white throat, purple-brown breast with white flecks grading to white belly; buff-yellow flanks. Crested head is green and purple with white stripes; white throat has two bars, one extends as a partial collar, the other extends behind and below eyes.

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser: This small merganser has black upperparts, white underparts with two black bars on side of breast, and red-brown flanks. The crest shows a large white patch when raised; white stripe extends backwards from eye when lowered. Feeds on fish and aquatic insects. Dark wings have white shoulder patch visible in flight. Rapid direct flight with fast wing beats. Sexes are similar.

American Black Duck

American Black Duck: Stocky, medium-sized dabbling duck with dark brown body, paler face and foreneck, and purple speculum bordered with black. Head is finely streaked; dark eyestripe is distinct. White underwings contrast with dark brown body in flight. Legs, feet are orange. Swift direct flight.

Baikal Teal

Baikal Teal: Small dabbling duck, head pattern of pale brown, green, white, and black. Pink breast has dark spots, flanks are gray bordered with vertical white stripes, scapulars are brown, black, and white. Wing speculum is green with buff upper and white lower border. Black undertail coverts.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Magnificent Frigatebird: Large black seabird, orange throat patch inflates into a huge bright red-orange balloon when in courtship display. Long bill is gray, hooked. Wings are long and narrow. Tail is forked; legs and feet are dark gray. Eats fish, crustaceans, jellyfish. High soaring flight.

Arctic Loon

Arctic Loon: Medium loon with straight, stout bill, white-spotted black back, white flanks visible above water while swimming. Head and nape are gray. Neck has bold black and white stripes on sides and green or purple throat bar that may be difficult to see. Feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.

Barrow's Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye: Medium diving duck with black upperparts, contrasting white shoulder bars, white underparts. Head is large, glossy, and purple-black with golden yellow eyes and a crescent-shaped white patch behind a dark bill. White wing patches are visible in flight. Yellow legs and feet.

Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal: This small duck has scaled dark brown upperparts, cinnamon-brown underparts, head and neck, red eyes, long dark bill and yellow-gray legs. White line divides green speculum and pale blue shoulder patch on wing. Female is brown-scaled overall with dull blue shoulder patch, dark eyes and pale edged upper mandible. Feeds on seeds and insects. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal: This small dabbling duck has a purple-gray head and a distinct white crescent on the face. The upperparts are scaled buff and dark brown; underparts are pale brown with many dark spots. The wings have a green speculum and a pale blue shoulder patch visible in flight. Flight is fast and direct with steady wing beats. It mainly feeds on plants. The sexes look similar.

Yellow-billed Loon

Yellow-billed Loon: Large loon, white-spotted black upperparts, white underparts, gray sides with fine white spots. Head is glossy green-black; neck has black-and-white rings. Yellow bill. Dives for small fish, crustaceans. Direct flight on deep wing beats. Solitary, or in pairs and family groups.

Pacific Loon

Pacific Loon: This medium-sized loon has a black-and-white checkered back and white underparts. It has a gray crown and nape, red eyes and a slender black bill. Iridescent throat patch can appear purple, green or black. Feeds mostly on fish, some crustaceans and insects. Flight is direct with rapid wing beats. Sexes are similar.

Common Merganser

Common Merganser: Large, sleek diving duck with black upperparts and white underparts. Head and upper neck are green-black with head crest usually not visible. Long, thin bill is bright red. Wings are black with extensive white patches. Feeds on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, insects and plants.

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck: Medium-sized duck has long black crest, black back and tail, white underparts and sides, black head, neck and breast with purple sheen, black wings with dark-edged, white stripes visible in flight, yellow eyes and gray legs and feet. Female is brown overall, dark breast, pale sides, white belly and gray bill. Feeds on insects and seeds. Swift direct flight with steady wing beats.

Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule: Medium, chicken-like marsh bird with purple-blue upperparts washed with iridescent green, deep blue underparts. Forehead is pale blue; bill is red and yellow-tipped. Undertail coverts are white. Legs are yellow with very long toes. The flight is labored and slow with dangling legs.

Boat-tailed Grackle

Boat-tailed Grackle: Large, black bird with a very long, keel-shaped tail. Male is iridescent blue-black with yellow or brown eyes. Black bill is slender and long. Legs and feet are gray. Forages walking on ground and wading in water. Strong direct flight with rapidly beating wings.

Indian Peafowl

Indian Peafowl: This large peacock has a glossy iridescent blue head, neck and breast, white patches above and below the eye, a fan-shaped blue crest, and a long train of striking tail feathers with colorful eye-spots on each one. Feeds on seeds and insects. Female lacks the train and has a green lower neck and duller plumage. Direct flight with rapid wing beats. One of the largest flying birds. Formerly Common Peafowl, the name was changed in 2014 by the American Ornithologist Union.

Common Grackle

Common Grackle: Medium-sized blackbird with metallic purple sheen on back, head, neck, and breast. Eyes are bright yellow. Central feathers of long, rounded tail are often lowered to show keeled V-shape. Swift, strong direct flight with rapid wing beats, holds tail folded in a V shape while flying.

Great-tailed Grackle

Great-tailed Grackle: Large blackbird, iridescent black body and purple sheen. Yellow eyes. Long, keeled tail. Walks on ground, wades in water to forage. Eats snails, insects, frogs, shrimp, small fish and birds, eggs and young of other birds, fruits, berries, seeds and grains. Strong direct flight.

Rusty Blackbird

Rusty Blackbird: Medium blackbird, black overall with a dull, blue-green sheen, yellow eyes. Forages on ground of wet woodlands and fields, wades in marshes or small pools of water. Feeds on insects, caterpillars, snails, crustaceans, small fish, salamanders, fruits, grains and seeds.

Tricolored Blackbird

Tricolored Blackbird: Medium-sized blackbird that is mostly black with a glossy blue tint overall. Shoulder patches are bright red and bordered with white. Lives in flocks year round.Feeds on insects, spiders, caterpillars, and seeds from weeds and grains. Strong direct flight on rapid wing beats.

American Redstart

American Redstart: Medium, active warbler with black upperparts and hood, distinctive orange-red patches on wings, sides, and long, fanned tail, and white underparts. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Female has gray head and gray-olive upperparts and white underparts with yellow on flanks and tail. It frequently flashes its colorful wings and tail to flush insects from foliage.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Medium woodpecker, black-and-white mottled upperparts, white rump, yellow-washed white underparts. Red throat, black border. Red crown, black-and-white striped face, neck. Dark wings have white shoulder patch. Black tail has black-barred, white center stripe.

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey: This large, ground-walking bird is iridescent dark brown overall with black and green bars and a small, featherless blue head that changes color with mood. Red throat wattles, black breast beard and legs with spurs. Female is smaller, duller, and lacks spurs and beard. Diet includes insects and grains. Swift powerful flight for short distances with rapid wing beats and deep strokes.

Anhinga

Anhinga: Large, dark waterbird with long tail, snake-like neck, small head, red eyes, and long olive-brown bill. Body is green-black overall with silver-gray feathers appearing speckled and grizzled on upper back and forewings. AKA snakebird and water turkey. Often soars like a raptor.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black upperparts and tail, and white underparts and rump. The head, throat, and upper breast are dark red. Wings are black with large white patches. Bill, legs and feet are black. This is the only woodpecker in the east with a completely red head.

Shiny Cowbird

Shiny Cowbird: Small blackbird with purple sheen on head, back, breast. Eyes are dark. Black bill, legs, feet. Forages on ground, walking with tail cocked above back. Eats insects, caterpillars, seeds and rice. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats. Travels alone or in small flocks.

Bronzed Cowbird

Bronzed Cowbird: Small blackbird (aeneus), brown-black overall with blue sheen on wings and tail. Eyes are red and bill is dark and heavy. Feeds on insects, seeds and grains. Often follows cattle to eat insects that are kicked up. Swift direct and swooping flight with rapid wing beats.

Cave Swallow

Cave Swallow: Small swallow (Southwest pelodoma), with steel-blue upperparts, white underparts, rufous wash on breast and sides. Forehead is chestnut-brown and throat and rump are buff. Tail is square. Swift, graceful flight, alternates several rapid, deep wing beats with long curving glides.

Bahama Swallow

Bahama Swallow: Medium-sized swallow with dark blue-green upperparts and cap extending below eye, and steel-blue wings, white chin, throat and underparts, and deeply forked tail. The bill, legs and feet are black. Swift, graceful flight, alternating rapid wing beats with long glides.

Black Vulture

Black Vulture: Large raptor, black overall, short, featherless neck, pale bill, short and squared tail, long, pale gray legs and feet. Gray-black skin on head and neck is wrinkled. White-tipped wings, held horizontal in flight. Soars on thermals, must flap its wings more often than a Turkey Vulture.

Black-capped Vireo

Black-capped Vireo: Small vireo, olive-green upperparts, black hood, white spectacles interrupted with black above the eye, white underparts with olive-yellow flanks. Wings are dark with two pale bars. Iris is red-brown to red. It has been listed as an endangered species since 1987.

Bahama Woodstar

Bahama Woodstar: Medium hummingbird, iridescent green upperparts, violet-pink throat, partial white collar, and mixed buff- and olive-green underparts; may have pink-tinged forehead. Forked tail is black with orange-brown center. Bill is slightly decurved. Direct and hovering flight. The Bahama Woodstar was split into the Bahama Woodstar and the Inagua Woodstar (not in North American range) in 2014 by the American Ornithologist Union.

Berylline Hummingbird

Berylline Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird, glittering green back, head, nape, throat, and breast. Wings and tail are rufous. Bill is black; lower mandible has red base. Undertail coverts are cinnamon-brown. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with rapid wing beats.

Mexican Violetear

Mexican Violetear: Medium hummingbird, dark metallic green (appearing black in low light) with blue-violet cheek and breast patches. Wings have black primaries. Squared tail is blue-green with black band. Slightly decurved bill is black. Direct, hovering flight with rapid wing beats. Formerly called the Green Violetear, it has had its name changed to Mexican Violetear and has also been split by the American Ornithologist Union in 2016 into the Mexican Violetear and Lesser Violetear (out of North American range).

Lucifer Hummingbird

Lucifer Hummingbird: Small hummingbird, metallic green upperparts, head, sides, flared purple-red gorget (throat feathers) extending around sides of neck, white breast and belly. Tail is dark and deeply forked. Bill is long and decurved. Direct and hovering flight on rapid wing beats.

Green-breasted Mango

Green-breasted Mango: Medium-sized hummingbird, glittering green overall with decurved, black bill, and purple chin. The slightly notched brown-purple tail has two bronze-green central tail feathers. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Buff-bellied Hummingbird: Medium-sized hummingbird with iridescent green upperparts, head, throat, and upper breast, and buff lower breast and belly. Slightly forked tail is dark chestnut-brown with cinnamon-brown undertail coverts. Bill is slightly decurved and red with a black tip.

Groove-billed Ani

Groove-billed Ani: Medium-sized black bird with iridescent blue and green overtones, with a very long tail (half the length of the bird). Bill is huge, with arched ridge and narrow grooves. Feeds on insects, ticks, spiders, lizards, fruits, berries and seeds. Flies low to the ground.

Smooth-billed Ani

Smooth-billed Ani: Medium-sized, shaggy bird, black overall with bronze overtones, thick bill and long tail, often bobbed, wagged, and held beneath body. Feathers on upper breast and back are lined with iridescent silver and are scaled. Flight is slow and weak,often low to the ground.

Xantus's Hummingbird

Xantus's Hummingbird: Small hummingbird with glittering green upperparts, head, throat, and breast, black face with distinct white stripe behind eye, and cinnamon-brown belly. Squared tail is rufous. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Plain-capped Starthroat

Plain-capped Starthroat: Medium-sized hummingbird with iridescent bronze-green upperparts and head, red throat, white face interrupted by black eyestripe, and pale gray underparts. Slightly notched tail is bronze-green with white-tipped black terminal band. Direct and hovering flight.

White-throated Needletail

White-throated Needletail: Large swift, gray-brown overall with white throat and undertail. Wings are glossed with green. Tail is short and square, with protruding feather shafts giving a spiked appearance. Very swift flight with several rapid wing beats followed by swooping glides.

White-eared Hummingbird

White-eared Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird, iridescent green upperparts and throat, metallic violet head, black mask, white stripe with lower black border behind eye, and white belly. Bill is red with black tip. Feeds primarily on nectar. Direct, hovering flight with rapid wing beats.

Key West Quail-Dove

Key West Quail-Dove: Medium dove with red-brown upperparts glossed with purple and green, gray-red nape and crown, white throat and streak below eye, and buff-gray underparts. Upperparts are iridescent. Red bill has black tip. Forages on ground for fruits, seeds and insects. Legs and feet are pink. Low direct flight on rapidly beating wings.

Red-billed Pigeon

Red-billed Pigeon: Large dove with dull purple head and breast, olive-brown back, and blue-gray belly. Wings are blue-gray with olive-brown tertials. Tail is black. Feet and legs are red. Eyes are orange or red with bright red eyelids. Bill is red with yellow tip. Swift direct flight.

White-crowned Pigeon

White-crowned Pigeon: Large dove, slate-gray overall with conspicuous white crown. Scaled nape is iridescent green when seen in good light. Iris is white.Yellow bill has red base. Legs and feet are red. Eats berries, seeds and insects. Swift direct flight with strong rapid wing beats.

Green Kingfisher

Green Kingfisher: Small kingfisher, dark green head, back, and wings, white chin, collar, rufous breast band, white belly with black spots. Black bill is long and straight. Legs and feet are gray. Feeds mostly on small fish taken in dives and aquatic insects, amphibians. Direct flight.

Northern Jacana

Northern Jacana: Rail-like relative of plovers and shorebirds; is unique in having extremely long toes. Body is chestnut-brown with black head and neck, and flashy yellow-green flight feathers. Forehead has a fleshy orange-yellow frontal shield arising from base of bill. Weak mothlike flight.

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis: Medium wading bird, iridescent bronze and red-brown overall with thin band of white feathers around bare dark blue face and long, down curved, gray bill. Eyes are dark, legs are yellow-gray. Alternates several shallow rapid wing beats and short glides. Flies in straight line formation.

Common Myna

Common Myna: This large stocky starling has a black hood and a patch of bright yellow bare skin behind the eye. Overall body plumage is chocolate-brown, but the under tail and tip of the upper tail and wing patches are white. It has a yellow bill and legs. It feeds on invertebrates and fruits. It mostly walks on the ground, with short rapid flights. Sexes are similar.

Crested Myna

Crested Myna: Medium-sized, black starling with compact bushy crest on forehead, red eyes, prominent white wing patch, white-tipped tail. Bill and legs are yellow. Imitates calls of other birds. Often walks on the ground, foraging for food. Flight is swift and direct on powerful, rapid wing strokes.

Hill Myna

Hill Myna: Large, stocky, glossy black starling with bright orange bill, unique fleshy lobes of bright yellow skin behind and below eyes, and prominent white wing patch. Yellow legs and feet. Extremely vocal, mimics other birds. It is a popular cage bird, renowned for its ability to imitate speech.

Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing: Large, unique plover with black breast, face, crown, and long upright head plumes; back is green-tinged purple and copper. Belly and sides are white, uppertail is white with a black tip, and undertail coverts are rich rufous-orange. Wings are dark with white tips; legs are pink.

Rivoli's Hummingbird

Rivoli's Hummingbird: Large hummingbird of Mexican highlands, occurs in limited areas of southwest U.S. Appears very dark green overall, in good light may show blue-green to green throat, purple forehead, gray vent, small but prominent white spot behind eye; tail is all dark. Black legs, feet. Rivoli's Hummingbird is a new name for the Magnificent Hummingbird. It was split into Rivoli's and Talamanca Hummingbird, the latter is found in the cloudforests of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Muscovy Duck

Muscovy Duck: Large, usually domesticated duck; wild birds are dark with white wing patch that is visible in flight; domesticated birds occur in any mix of white and black. Crested head; bare face, may be black or red or a combination, has large wart-like knob at the base of the bill.

Red-faced Cormorant

Red-faced Cormorant: Dark brown to black with variable green and violet iridecsence. Bright red face patch, dull bill. Black legs, feet. Breeding adults develop white patches on flanks and white neck feathers or "plumes." Strong powerful direct flight. Flies in straight line formation.

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Medium gnatcatcher with black cap, blue-gray upperparts, black tail, and pale gray underparts. The bill is short and black. Black tail is edged with white; underside of tail appears mostly black with large white spots near tip when closed. Black legs and feet.

Mottled Duck

Mottled Duck: Medium dabbling duck with dark brown mottled body, feathers usually show distinct multi-toned chevrons, buff-brown face and unmarked neck, darker crown and eye line. Speculum is blue-green bordered with black and fine white bars. Bill is bright yellow; legs and feet are orange.

Elegant Trogon

Elegant Trogon: Iridescent green upperparts and breast. Red undertail and belly, separated from green breast by a white band, long iridescent copper green, square tail tipped in black. White undertail with black streaks. Often seen perching upright. Slow undulating flight, can be rapid when needed.

Least Grebe

Least Grebe: Smallest of North America's grebes. Eyes dark yellow , plumage is dark black-gray, white undertail coverts and white wing patch in flight. Black bill. In winter shows pale throat, in summer a dark throat. Females similar, juveniles are dark and light gray with striping on head. Seldom fly, rarely leave nesting places.

Eastern Spot-billed Duck

Eastern Spot-billed Duck: Native of Asia, named for red spots at base of yellow-tipped black bill; subspecies occurring in North America generally lacks these spots. Scaled brown overall with buff face, neck, upper breast. Dark crown, nape, eyestripe. Blue speculum with white borders; orange legs and feet.

White-cheeked Pintail

White-cheeked Pintail: Large, heavily spotted dark and light brown duck with striking white cheek patches, blue bill with bright red base, buff pointed tail. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Feeds on aquatic plants, small invertebrates. Swift direct flight with strong rapid wing beats. AKA Bahama Duck.

Masked Duck

Masked Duck: Small stifftail duck with black-tipped blue bill and black mask with thin white eye-ring. Body is rufous-brown with black streaks on the back and sides; white wing patches are visible in flight. Feeds on aquatic plants, insects and crustaceans. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Neotropic Cormorant

Neotropic Cormorant: Small, long-tailed cormorant. Black upper and lowerparts may show blue gloss. Long hooked yellow-gray bill with yellow "v" shaped gular pouch edged in white. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on fish, crustaceans and amphibians. Flies low over water with strong rapid wing beats.

Plain Chachalaca

Plain Chachalaca: Loud, phesant-like bird. Drab in color with gray head, olive-brown back, buff belly, dark tail with green gloss. Male shows bright red gular stripe during courtship displays. Feeds on insects, fruits, berries, seeds, leaves and buds. Alternates rapid stiff wing beats with glides.

Falcated Duck

Falcated Duck: Medium dabbling duck with long black and white tertial feathers extending over black rump. Body white, black, gray in finely-scaled pattern. The crested iridescent head is green and purple-brown. White throat has black ring; black tail and black-green speculum are edged in white.

Eared Quetzal

Eared Quetzal: Large, small headed with long, broad tail. Black head, black-green back and breast. Black-blue tail is white underneath. Bright red belly and dark bill. The name "quetzal" is from an Aztec word, quetzalli, which translates to "large brilliant tail feather." AKA Eared Trogon.

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant: Largest North American comorant. Black with bright yellow throat pouch bordered with white feathers. Expert swimmer, dives for fish, crustaceans. When wet holds wings in spread eagle position to dry. Strong direct flight with steady wing beats. Flies in V or straight line formation.

Greater Scaup

Greater Scaup: This large diving duck has a glossy green-black head, white sides and belly, black tail, neck and breast, barred gray flanks and back. The eyes are yellow and the bill is blue-gray with a black tip. The diet includes aquatic insects and plants. It has a rapid direct flight with strong, quick wing beats. The female is dull brown with a white patch on the face at base of bill.

Bumblebee Hummingbird

Bumblebee Hummingbird: One of the smallest hummingbirds at 2.75 inches with green upperparts, sides, and white underparts. The gorget is violet-red and the rounded tail is green with a rufous base. This bird can hover in a horizontal positon with it's tail cocked vertical as it feeds on nectar.

Cinnamon Hummingbird

Cinnamon Hummingbird: Medium size, bicolored hummingbird with bronze green upperparts and cinnamon colored underparts. The tail is square, rufous with gold-green edging. This promiscuous bird attracts a female by flying back and forth like a swing. Both sexes are protective of feeding territories.

Kalij Pheasant

Kalij Pheasant: Native to India and Pakistan, this bird is glossy blue-black overall with red wattles. Crest, breast and sides have long white to gray-brown feathers. Mid-back to rump feathers are edged in white; long black tail, tan legs and feet. Feeds on seeds and plants. Swift direct flap-and-glide flight. Males are dark metallic blues, gray, black or a blend. Females are brown or gray-brown.

White-rumped Shama

White-rumped Shama: Native to Southeast Asia, this bird has a glossy blue-black head, nape, back and upperbreast. It has black wings and tail, white rump and outer tail feathers, rufous belly and lower breast, a black bill and pink legs and feet. Long tail enables it to change directions quickly in the dense underbrush it prefers. Feeds on insects, earthworms and fruit. Sexes are similar.

Red Junglefowl

Red Junglefowl: This direct ancestor of the domestic chicken has golden-orange and bronze-red upperparts, red comb and wattles, blue-green, rufous, and brown-black underparts, large iridescent, green-black tail, white feather patch at tail base, and gray legs and feet. Female is dull brown-gold with pale red face and throat. Feeds on seeds, grains, and insects. Short direct flight.

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo: Fairly large, long-tailed cuckoo with a long crest. Glossy black-green upperparts with white collar on nape, chestnut wings, buff to orange throat, gray-white underparts, and black vent. Fairly long wings. Long tail with white to buff edges on feathers. Sexes similar. Juveniles have grayer plumage with pale scaling on the wings.

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Source: https://www.whatbird.com/browse/objs/All/birds_na_147/110/color/43649/sheen%20or%20iridescence/default.aspx

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