Yellow Birds that Come to Your backyard or Feeder
This photo gallery ofyellow birds are of the species you are most likely to see in your garden or at your backyard bird feeder. This is not a list with all yellow birds, just the most common in North America. The birds are arranged from smallest to largest. The nesting materials information is to help you decide what materials to put out, to attract the birds to your yard during the breeding season. For more information on songs, sounds, calls and identifying, consult a good bird field guide or a recording of bird sounds.
Male Lesser Goldfinch shown
Photo credit: Velo Steve on Flickr.com
Lesser Goldfinch (length 4 1/2")
Carduelis psaltria
| Male: | Two forms: Eastern: yellow body, black cap, black and white wings. Western,Texas: black cap, yellow belly, green back, white patch on wings. | | Female: | Olive with yellowish color on back face and belly. Black and white wings. | | Diet: | Buds, berries and seeds from trees, weeds and grasses. | | Feeder foods: | Nyjer (thistle) seed and sunflower seed | | Nest: | Use bark moss and plant stems to make a cup-shaped nest. | | Birdhouse: | No, not a cavity nester. | | Voice: | Sings a fast song made up of phrases from other bird songs; call a "peeyeet". | | Note: | Adult males of these little yellow birds can look different. Check a good guide such as Sibley's Guide to Birds. |
right: female. Photo credit: itshears on Flickr.com
left: male. Photo credit Wade Franklin on Flickr.com
American Goldfinch (length 5")
Carduelis tristis
| Male: | Bright yellow body, black forehead and black and whitewings and tail. (breeding season) | | Female: | body is a olive color with yellow tones around face andbelly. dark wings with yellow wing bars. (breeding) | | Diet: | ground feeder - seeds, insects, berries | | Feeder foods: | Nyjer seed (thistle) and hulled sunflower seed | | Nest: | neat, firm, cup-shaped nest strands of plant fibers,bark, and down from plants and seed pods | | Birdhouse: | no, not a cavity nester | | Voice: | fast repeat of the phrase to-WEE toWEE toWEE | | Note: | These beautiful yellow birds change plumage according to breeding season andsex. |
Photo shows male;
Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov
Evening Grosbeck (length 8")
Coccothraustesvespertinus
| Male: | Yellow body, black head with yellow eyebrow; black andwhite wings. | | Female: | Brownish gray body front and back; faint yellow on neck;black and white wings. | | Diet: | Fruit, buds, nuts, insects, tree sap, road salt andtree seeds | | Feeder foods: | Sunflower seeds | | Nest: | Builds cup-shaped nest of twigs with some lichens,roots and mosses mixed in. | | Birdhouse: | No, not a cavity nester. | | Voice: | ringing "kleerr" | | Note: | notice the massive seed-cracking bill |
Photo shows male.
Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov
Baltimore (Northern) Oriole (8 1/2")
Icterus galbula
| Male: | Orange-yellow body; black head and black and white wings | | Female: | orange yellow on body and belly; orange corners on tail | | Diet: | insects, fruits and flower nectar | | Feeder foods: | orange halves and sugar solutions | | Nest: | hanging nests of plant fibers, vines, string, and yarnwoven to form a cup that is 6 to 60 feet above the ground. | | Birdhouse: | No, not a cavity nester. | | Voice: | whistled notes | | Note: | These birds are mainly in eastern NorthAmerica. |
Photos: right; female; left: male.
Photo credit: lostinfog on Flickr.com
Bullock's Oriole (length 9")
Icterus bullockii
| Male: | Orange face with black eyeline; black cap; black andwhite wings; yellow-orange body. | | Female: | yellowish body and head; black and white wings | | Diet: | insects, fruits and flower nectar | | Feeder foods: | ornage halves and sugar solutions | | Nest: | hanging nests of plant fibers, vines, string, and yarnwoven to form a cup that is 6 to 60 feet above the ground. Often not asdeep as Balitmore Oriole. | | Birdhouse: | No, not a cavity nester | | Voice: | whistled notes | | Note: | These birds are mainly in the western part of NorthAmerica. |
Photo credit:
Works Consulted:
A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, 2nded. by Paul J. Baicich and Colin J.O. Harrison
Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region by Donald and Lillian Stokes
Field Guide to Birds: Western Region by Donald and Lillian Stokes
The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley.
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