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So you have just spotted a black bird and you want to identify it, and you have noticed a stand out feature: it has a white beak. This article will identify 10 black birds with white beaks with the use of pictures and measurements to aid with identification and information on where the birds are native to, habitat and diets.
Male Black Hornbill
What a magnificent example of a black bird with a white beak. The male black hornbill as shown in the picture above is quite an unusual looking bird. These are a medium size bird for the hornbill family. They have beautiful black plumage with white on the ends of its tail feathers and dark red eyes. It is only the males who have a white beak and the females have a grey – black plumage. Unfortunately due to the deforestation of this bird’s habitat they are now cited as vulnerable on the red list of endangered birds. (BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds).
Measurements
- Length; 70cms
- Weight; 1050g
Native to
Asia
Habitat
Evergreen lowland forests
Diet
Mainly fruit, small rodents, insects, bats and bird eggs
White Billed Buffalo Weaver
As its name suggests this bird has a white bill. Again it is only the males who have the white bill, the females have darker bills. The males have a white patch on their shoulders and a pale area on the wings which is noticeable in flight. They also have quite a long tail compared to their body size. These are very social birds, seen in flocks and build large communal stick nests.
Measurements
- Length; 23-24 cms
- Weight; 70g
Native to
Africa
Habitat
Woodlands, dry savannas
Diet
Fruits, seed, insects
Male Crested Oropendola
It is believed that these stunning white billed birds get their names from their display of the swinging off their nests to attract a female. As you can see from the picture above these males are mainly black with a white – pale yellow bill, beautiful blue eyes, rusty coloured feathers on their thigh and rump and a long yellow tail. They are usually found in small flocks and have a dominant male who will have up to 5-7 females which they will mate with.
Measurements
- Length; 46cm
- Weight; 300g
Native to
South America
Habitat
Tropical forests
Diet
Fruit, insects, seed, nectar
Female Magpie Lark
Male Magpie Lark
The male magpie lark as shown above is an impressive specimen of a white billed bird albeit it is black and white. The male and females look very similar, however the way to tell them apart is the colour of their throat, the male as above has a black throat and black eye stripe, whereas the female as seen in the picture above the male has a white throat.
Measurements
- Length; 30cms
- Weight; 83g
Native to
Australasia
Habitat
Most area expect dry desert and rainforests
Diet
Invertebrates, insect, worms, caterpillars
Male Pied Butcherbird
This lovely songbird has a white-grey bill with dark grey on its end. As its name suggests it is black and white. Where the male has white on its back, shoulders and upper tail as above, the female is gey coloured.
Measurements
- Length; 28-32 cms
- Wingspan; 51 cms
- Weight; 120g
Native to
Australia
Habitat
Dry forests and woodlands
Diet
Larger insect, frogs, birds, small reptiles and mammals
European Male Coot
Always seen on or near water, this wetland bird is a great example of a black bird with a white beak. As seen in the picture above it has a white beak with a white patch on its forehead, also known as a frontal shield, they also have red eyes. The males and females are very similar, however in breeding season the male’s frontal shield will be noticeably wider than the female’s.
A further interesting fact is these birds do not have webbed feet despite being a wetland bird. Instead they have very long toes, with a piece of skin which allows them to get through the water and then folds up as they walk which helps on land with no problems, as seen in the picture below.
Measurements
- Length; 34-43 cms
- Wingspan; 58 – 71 cms
- Weight; 720g
Native to
Europe, although there are other sub species across the world
Habitat
Reservoirs, rivers, lakes, canals, park lakes
Diet
Plants, algae, tadpoles, small fish
Male Solitary Cacique
This all black bird as above, has a glossy plumage and a white – pale yellow beak, they also have dark eyes which is unusual for the cacique birds who mostly have blue eyes. It is known as an acrobat as it forages for food and can be seen hanging upside down.
Measurements
- Length; 27 cms
- Weight; 90g
Native to
South America
Habitat
Tropical swamps, tropical lowlands and forests
Diet
Fruit, nectar, invertebrates, small frogs
Red Rumped Cacique
A bird of the same family as the previous bird, cacique family. As you can see from the picture above they have mostly black plumage, but like it says in its name they have a red rump. They also have beautiful blue eyes and have a white – ivory coloured bill.
Measurements
- Length; 29 cms
- Weight; 96g
Native to
South America
Habitat
Tropical and subtropical forests and swamps
Diet
Mostly insects
Male Rose – Breasted Grosbeak
This sweet little bird above has a mainly black plumage and white – ivory coloured beak, with a red breast and white under belly, and bands of white on its wings it is an attractive looking bird.
Measurements
- Length; 18-21 cms
- Wingspan; 50cm
- Weight; 39-49g
Native to
Winter in Mexico, Caribbean and central America. Breeding in Canada and North Eastern US
Habitat
Forests, Woodlands & parks
Diet
Mostly insects, berries, seeds
Rook
Usually seen in flocks as these are very social birds, the rook as shown in the above picture is a large bird and a member of the corvid family. They are easily identified by their white – grey hairless beak. Their plumage is a glossy black – blue colour which shines in the sun.
Measurements
- Length; 44-46 cms
- Wingspan; 81-99 cm
- Weight; 280-340g
Native to
UK
Habitat
Open farmland, Woodland, grassland, urban areas
Diet
Not fussy with their diets will eat worms, small mammals, insects, nuts, grain, other birds eggs and hatchlings and carrion
In Summary
I hope you have found this article informative and interesting. We have seen a list of 10 mainly black birds with white beaks. We have seen what they look like with the aid of pictures. Where in the world we would find them along with information on their habitats and diets. We have also seen the effect of deforestation on one of the breeds of these birds who is now cited as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. There are links below to this list if you would like any further information.