14 Interesting Black Birds with Yellow Beaks

Have you ever seen a black bird with a yellow beak? It’s quite a rare sight, as most birds have beaks that are the same color or slightly darker than their feathers. However, there are some species of blackbirds in the world that have bright yellow beaks.

These uniquely colored birds live in various habitats around the globe and come from different families of avian species. From large crows to small finches, these black birds with yellow beaks will undoubtedly draw your attention when spotted.

In this article, we’ll look closer at these 14 beautiful black birds with yellow beaks and explore where they live and what makes them unique.

List Of Black Birds With Yellow Beaks

1. Yellow-billed Chough

The Yellow-billed Chough is a distinctive bird species belonging to the crow family. 

They have glossy black feathers, a slender body, and a long, curved yellow bill.

The Yellow-billed Chough is intelligent and adaptable. These birds are highly social and often form large flocks, communicating with various calls and displays. 

They are also known for their remarkable problem-solving skills, often using tools and displaying complex behaviors in their search for food.

You can spot Yellow-billed Choughs in rocky habitats, gorges, alpine meadows, towns, and ski resorts in mountainous regions across southern Europe and western Asia.

These birds thrive in areas with suitable nesting sites and abundant food sources, including insects, berries, seeds, and plant matter.

Yellow-billed Choughs are captivating birds, and their adaptability and intelligence make them fascinating species to observe in the natural mountainous habitats of Europe and Asia.

2. Common Hill Myna

Common Hill Mynas are medium-sized birds native to south and southeast Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent.

It is renowned for its striking appearance and remarkable vocal abilities, making it popular among bird enthusiasts and pet owners.

The Common Hill Myna has a glossy black plumage with bright yellow skin around its eyes and white patches on its wing tips. It also possesses a distinctive orange-yellow beak and strong yellow legs. Its robust build and long tail enhance its elegant and graceful appearance.

The Common Hill Myna has exceptional mimicry skills and can imitate a wide range of sounds and voices, including human speech, making it one of the most talented mimicking birds.

Its repertoire often includes various melodies, calls of other birds, and even everyday noises.

They live in various habitats, including forests, woodlands, and open areas near human settlements in Southeast Asia. They are social birds and are often seen in small flocks or pairs. 

They are omnivores whose diet primarily consists of fruits, insects, small vertebrates, and even nectar.

3. Common Black Hawk

The Common Black Hawk is a bird of prey found primarily in the southwestern United States, Central America, and South America.

The Common Black Hawk is primarily black, with a contrasting white band on its tail. 

The bird’s legs and beak are yellow, adding a vibrant touch to its dark appearance. Juvenile birds have brown feathers that gradually transition to the adult’s black plumage as they mature.

The Common Black Hawk is a specialized hunter that primarily eats fish, lizards, and frogs, often found near bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. They eat other small creatures found near bodies of water, such as small birds and mammals.

This species is widely distributed across the Americas, inhabiting various wetland regions from the southern United States through Central America and northern South America.

4. Toco Toucan

The Toco Toucan is a fascinating bird species native to South America. It is renowned for its distinctive appearance, characterized by its large, colorful bill and vibrant plumage, making it one of the most recognizable birds in the world.

The Toco Toucan has a black body with a white throat and chest. Its most striking feature is its enormous bill, which is bright orange-yellow with a black base. 

The bill is long and curved, reaching 9 inches (23 centimeters). Despite its size, their bill is surprisingly lightweight, composed of a hollow bone covered in keratin. They use their bill for various purposes, including feeding, reaching fruits, and communication.

The Toco Toucan has a frugivorous diet and primarily feeds on a wide range of fruits, especially those with tough outer coverings that other birds cannot easily access. 

Additionally, the Toco Toucan consumes insects, small reptiles, and occasionally eggs from other bird species.

Toco Toucans live in various regions of South America, including the Amazon rainforest, savannas, and open woodlands. They are typically found in pairs or small family groups and are known for their vocalizations, which include a deep, croaking call.

5. European Starling

The European Starling is a species of Blackbird common throughout North America. It is a medium-sized bird renowned for its remarkable adaptability, beautiful plumage, and complex vocal abilities. It

It may not be completely black, but the European Starling makes our list of blackbirds with yellow beaks because it is indeed a species of Blackbird.

It has sleek, black plumage, iridescent purple and green tones, and a noticeable yellow beak. In the winter months, its plumage may appear more speckled and duller.

The Male European Starling has exceptional vocal mimicry and can imitate various sounds, including other bird calls. This skill allows them to create complex and diverse songs, often heard in communal roosts or during courtship displays.

European Starlings are highly adaptable and thrive in various habitats, including urban areas, agricultural fields, woodlands, and grasslands. They form large gatherings, called murmurations, where thousands of birds fly together in intricate patterns.

These birds have a varied diet of both animal and plant matter. They are opportunistic and feed on insects, earthworms, fruits, berries, seeds, and grains.

Originally native to Europe and Asia, European Starlings have become an invasive species in North America and other parts of the world. Their adaptability, high reproductive rate, and aggressive behavior can negatively impact native bird populations.

6. Double-crested Cormorants

The Double-crested Cormorant is a distinctive bird species in North America. It is renowned for its appearance, exceptional diving abilities, and characteristic crests during the breeding season.

The Double-crested Cormorant has a sleek, streamlined body with dark brown and black feathers. It has a long neck and a sharp, hooked bill that is yellow at the base.

“Double-crested” refers to the long, filamentous plumes that grow above the eyes during the breeding season, adding ornamental features to their appearance. They can be black or white.

The Double-crested Cormorant has exceptional diving and swimming skills. It is adapted for an aquatic lifestyle and has webbed feet that enable it to propel itself underwater with agility. 

These birds can dive to depths of up to 25 feet in search of fish, remaining submerged for extended periods. After catching their prey, they resurface to swallow it whole or return it to their nesting site.

Double-crested Cormorants live in coastal areas, freshwater lakes, rivers, and estuaries across North America. You will often see them perching on rocks, branches, or structures near the water, spreading their wings in a distinctive pose to dry them after swimming.

7. Steller’s Sea Eagle

Steller’s Sea Eagle is a magnificent bird of prey native to northeastern Asia, particularly Russia and parts of Japan. It is renowned for its impressive size, powerful appearance, and association with coastal and marine habitats.

Steller’s Sea Eagles are one of the largest and heaviest eagles in the world. It has a robust build with a wingspan that can reach up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) and a weight of around 15 to 22 pounds (7 to 9 kilograms).

They have a brownish-black body with shoulder patches, a white tail, and a large curved, yellow beak.

Steller’s Sea Eagles are specialized hunters, primarily eating fish and smaller water birds. It soars over coastal areas and large bodies of water, scanning for fish near the surface. Once it spots its prey, it swoops down quickly and accurately, using its sharp talons to snatch fish from the water.

They live in coastal regions in Northeast Asia with abundant fish populations and suitable nesting sites.

Steller’s Sea Eagles are classified as a vulnerable species due to habitat loss, disturbance, and illegal hunting. Currently, efforts are being made to protect their breeding sites and ensure the sustainability of their populations.

8. Yellow-legged Thrush

The Yellow-legged Thrush is a songbird in northern and eastern regions of South America and the Caribbean.

The male Yellow-legged Thrush is black with a slate-gray back and belly. It also has yellow legs, a yellow bill, and a yellow eye ring.

Females are brown above and paler below, with a dull-looking bill. 

This thrush species lives in various habitats, including forests, woodlands, and gardens. Its diet mainly consists of fruits and berries it can find in trees and bushes.

9. Black Scoter

The Black Scoter is a sea duck species native to North America.

The male Black Scoter has silky black plumage and an orangey-yellow knob at the base of its bill, which is absent in females. Females and juveniles have brown plumage and a paler gray cheek.

The Black Scoter is a specialized feeder that uses its legs and wings to dive underwater for food. Their diet includes mollusks, crustaceans, insects, fish eggs, mussels, and small fish.

Black Scoters live in coastal regions, especially along the northern coasts of North America. You can see them in nearshore waters, estuaries, and bays during winter.

During the breeding season, they migrate to freshwater lakes and ponds in the boreal forests of northern Canada and Alaska.

The Black Scoter is a migratory species, undertaking long-distance journeys between its breeding and wintering grounds. Their numbers are in decline due to environmental disturbances such as oil spills and habitat degradation.

10. Common Blackbird

The Common Blackbird is a widespread and familiar bird species throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They are also known as the Eurasian Blackbird. 

As its name suggests, the male Common Blackbird has predominantly black plumage, with yellow eye rings and a yellow bill. 

Females, on the other hand, have brown feathers with dark streaks and a yellow bill.

Common Blackbirds are adaptable birds living in various environments, including woodlands, gardens, parks, and urban areas.

They forage primarily on the ground, using their bill to probe the soil for earthworms, insects, berries, and fruits.

The Common Blackbird’s range extends across Europe, Asia, and North Africa and has even been introduced in Australia and New Zealand. Northern species are migratory and will winter in North Africa, whereas the southern species tend to stay put all year round.

11. Common Myna

The Common Myna is a medium-sized songbird known for its distinct appearance, social behavior, and adaptability to diverse habitats. They are also known as Indian Mynas in other parts of the world.

The Common Myna has a striking appearance with a brown body, a black head, and a yellow bill and feet.

It features prominent white patches on its wings and yellow orbital skin around its eyes. The bird has a solid, agile build, a short tail, and sturdy legs.

The Common Myna is its highly social bird and is often seen in noisy and active flocks, communicating through various calls and vocalizations. They exhibit playful and curious behavior, engaging in activities such as hopping, running, and even hanging upside down.

They are adaptable and can thrive in various habitats, including urban areas, agricultural landscapes, woodlands, and open grasslands.

They are native to parts of Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent, but have been introduced to other regions worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and some Pacific islands.

The pet trade has even brought them to the shores of Florida, where escaped birds have been thriving.

These mynas are omnivorous, feeding on a wide range of food sources. Their diet includes insects, fruits, nectar, seeds, small vertebrates, and even human food scraps.

They are known for their opportunistic feeding behavior and ability to adapt to changing food availability.

12. Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle is a large bird of prey native to North America. It is an iconic symbol of power, freedom, and resilience, known for its distinctive appearance and impressive hunting abilities.

Adult Bald Eagles have a noticeable appearance, with a white head, neck, and tail contrasting with a dark brown body and large yellow beak. Juveniles, on the other hand, have predominantly brown feathers until they reach maturity at around 4 to 5 years of age.

They primarily feed on fish and are often seen near bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. They will also eat smaller birds and mammals when the opportunity presents itself.

Bald Eagles are found across North America, from Alaska to the southern United States, and prefer habitats near large bodies of water, such as coastal areas, estuaries, and lakeshores.

The Bald Eagle is an excellent example of conservation success. Once threatened with extinction, conservation efforts, including habitat protection and banning harmful pesticides, have helped the species recover.

As a result, the Bald Eagle population rebounded and has since been removed from the endangered species list in 2007.

13. Yellow-billed Magpie

The Yellow-billed Magpie is a large bird species native to California.

The Yellow-billed Magpie has glossy black plumage above, white plumage below, and an iridescent blue coloration on its wings. They have a long, slender tail and a bright yellow bill.

Yellow-billed Magpies live in California’s Central Valley and adjacent foothills, making them a unique and cherished species within their limited range.

They inhabit oak woodlands, riparian corridors, grassy areas, farms, and ranches, often congregating in small to large flocks.

These magpies are omnivorous and have a diverse diet. They feed on various foods, including insects, seeds, berries, acorns, and small vertebrates.

They are known to be opportunistic foragers, adapting their diet to available resources throughout the year.

They are considered a vulnerable species by the IUCN as their population has declined due to habitat loss, urbanization, disease, and pesticide use.

14. Great Cormorant

The Great Cormorant is a large seabird found along coastal regions worldwide.

The Great Cormorant has a distinctive silhouette with a long neck, a slender body, a long tail, and a hooked bill. It has dark plumage, usually black or dark gray, a white throat patch, and yellow skin around its bill.

The Great Cormorant is an exceptional diver perfectly adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. With its webbed feet and streamlined body, it can dive to depths in search of fish and other aquatic prey.

Great Cormorants live in many habitats, including coastal areas, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and even inland reservoirs. They are highly adaptable birds and have expanded their range to various continents, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.

Great Cormorants primarily feed on fish but consume other aquatic organisms such as crustaceans, amphibians, and marine worms.

In some regions, Great Cormorants can be both beneficial and problematic. They can have a positive impact by controlling fish populations and improving the health of aquatic ecosystems.

However, their large colonies and feeding habits may conflict with human activities such as fishing and aquaculture.

Keep An Eye Out For Black Birds With Yellow Beaks

Many species of black birds with yellow beaks can be seen worldwide. These include the Yellow-billed Chough, Common Blackbird, Yellow-legged Thrush, Yellow-billed Magpie, and Great Cormorant.

While they may have similar physical characteristics, their habitats, diets, and behaviors differ. Understanding how these birds are different is a surefire way to identify them the next time you encounter them.

Whether you’re a bird-watching enthusiast or just someone who enjoys learning about nature, taking time to learn about some common black birds with yellow beaks will provide you with a newfound appreciation for these uniquely colored species.

We hope this article has provided all the information you need. If you have questions about identifying more species of black birds with yellow beaks or want to add a yellow beak black bird to this list, let us know!

We would love to help identify more of these birds and add them to our list for our readers to enjoy.