13 Types of Black Birds in Arizona (With Pictures)

Brown-headed cowbirds are interesting birds in that they don’t have any nests of their own. Instead, they drop their eggs in the nests of other birds, which raise the chicks as their own.

If you spot a black brown-headed cowbird, you’ve spotted a male, but it will sometimes have a blue tinge to its feathers.

6. Yellow-Headed Blackbird

The title of the most beautiful black bird in Arizona might just belong to the yellow-headed blackbird. While its wings, back, and tailfeather are all black, its head is a bright yellow that contrasts beautifully with the rest of its body.

The shoulders of this beautiful bird do have touches of white, but you can only see them when it’s in flight. Still, the yellow head is what makes this bird so distinguishable. When you can see these birds, though, depends on where you live in Arizona, as they live in different parts of the state at different times throughout the year.

7. Bullock’s Oriole

When you see a Bullock’s oriole, you may not think “black bird.” But there’s no denying its black coloring. Its underbody and face are orange, but it has black wings and black along its head and chin.

You can only see these birds in Arizona during the warmer months or when they’re migrating through.

8. Hooded Oriole

The hooded oriole is an oriole bird that you can see in Arizona during the summer months. It has a pointier beak and longer body than the Bullock’s Oriole, but the overall coloring is similar.

However, with an estimated total population of fewer than 1 million birds, these aren’t exactly the easiest birds to spot in Arizona.

9. Bronzed Cowbird

The bronzed cowbird steals the nests of other birds, and if you spot a black bronze cowbird, you found a male. Bronzed cowbirds visit southeastern Arizona during the breeding season, but you can also find them in other parts of the state year-round.

These birds have bright red eyes, and while they’re mainly black, their wings do have tinges of blue and purple throughout as well. While the exact population number of these birds is unknown, their population isn’t declining.

10. Scott’s Oriole

Unlike other orioles that have more orange in their coloring, the Scott’s oriole has a distinct yellow appearance. It’s also far blacker compared to most other oriole birds.

Its entire head is black, as are its chest, tail feathers, and wings. It contrasts sharply with the yellow throughout the rest of its body. You can find these oriole birds in Arizona during the summer months.

11. Western Meadowlark

While the western meadowlark does have black coloring on its body, it’s not really a “black bird.” Still, if you only catch a glimpse of them, all you might notice is the black paired with the yellow coloring.

These birds are brown, gray, black, and yellow, and you can find them in portions of Arizona throughout the entire year.

12. Eastern Meadowlark

Few states have both the western meadowlark and the eastern meadowlark, but since Arizona is at the end of both of their ranges, you get to see both birds in the state.

They’re extremely similar looking, but the eastern meadowlarks don’t have a yellow malar region. It’s a small distinction, and unless you know much about birds, you’re not likely to notice the difference when you see them.

13. American Crow

The American crow is a staple of cities across the United States, and Arizona is no different. These large black birds thrive anywhere near humans, and you can typically spot them in cities, suburbs, and even parks.

They live in Arizona year-round, but if you head to the most southern point of the state, they are less common because they don’t typically venture quite that far south, even during the cooler months.

Conclusion

Now that you know more about the different blackbirds in the state, perhaps you can identify exactly what you’re looking at the next time that you see one. If you’re on the hunt for a specific one, now you know what time of year to keep your eyes out for it!

Related Read: 10 Types of Black Birds in Oklahoma (with Pictures)

Featured Image Credit: Danita Delimont, Shutterstock