Who's at my feeder?

Identify by colour

Black and white birds at the feeder

Woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and magpies – the black and white birds at feeders and how to tell them apart.

Colours you saw

  1. Downy Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Downy Woodpecker

    White back, striped face, very short stubby bill, black bars on white outer tail feathers
  2. Hairy Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Hairy Woodpecker

    Black and white with a white back patch, bill nearly as long as its head, clean white outer tail
  3. Pileated Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Pileated Woodpecker

    Very large, mostly black with a red crest and white neck stripe
  4. Red-bellied Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Black-and-white barred back, buffy face and chest
  5. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a black feeder bird

    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

    Black-and-white face, red forehead cap, red throat, white wing stripe and a pale yellow wash on the belly.
  6. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a black feeder bird

    Rose-breasted Grosbeak

    Black head and back, white belly, rosy triangle on the chest and big white wing spots.
  7. Eastern Towhee, a black feeder bird

    Eastern Towhee

    Black hood and back, rusty sides, white belly stripe and big white tail corners.
  8. Black-capped Chickadee, a black feeder bird

    Black-capped Chickadee

    Black cap and bib, white cheeks, grey back and a buff wash on the sides.
  9. Carolina Chickadee, a black feeder bird

    Carolina Chickadee

    Black cap and bib, bright white cheeks, soft grey back and pale buff or grey flanks.
  10. Spotted Towhee, a black feeder bird

    Spotted Towhee

    Dark hood and back with bold white spots, rusty sides and white belly.
  11. Black-headed Grosbeak, a black feeder bird

    Black-headed Grosbeak

    Black head, orange-brown body and black-and-white wings.
  12. Mountain Chickadee, a black feeder bird

    Mountain Chickadee

    Black cap broken by a white eyebrow, black bib and grey body.
  13. Pied Wagtail, a black feeder bird

    Pied Wagtail

    Black and white with a black bib, white face and a long tail it wags constantly.
  14. Acorn Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Acorn Woodpecker

    Clown-faced: black above and on the chest, red cap, strong face pattern and white eyes.
  15. Coal Tit, a black feeder bird

    Coal Tit

    Black cap and bib, white cheeks, a white nape patch and an olive-grey back with pale wing bars.
  16. Great Spotted Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Great Spotted Woodpecker

    Black and white with red under the tail
  17. Great Tit, a black feeder bird

    Great Tit

    Glossy black head with white cheeks, bluish-green back and yellow breast split by a black stripe.
  18. Ladder-backed Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Ladder-backed Woodpecker

    Black-and-white 'ladder' barring on the back and wings, cream underparts
  19. Magpie, a black feeder bird

    Magpie

    Black and white with a long tail
  20. Nuttall's Woodpecker, a black feeder bird

    Nuttall's Woodpecker

    Black back with narrow white barring and thin white face stripes
  21. White-breasted Nuthatch, a white feeder bird

    White-breasted Nuthatch

    White face and chest, blue-grey back and narrow black crown stripe.

Questions

Black and white birds: questions

What black and white birds come to feeders?

Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Towhee, Black-capped Chickadee.

Why does the bird look duller than in the photos?

Many species show their brightest colours only in adult males in spring and summer; females, young birds and winter plumage are often duller.

How do I find out which black and white birds live near me?

Choose your state or UK nation in the filter above, or enter your ZIP code on the home page for the birds within 30 km.

By colour

Identify birds by colour