Did you see a brightly-colored red bird, orange bird, or yellow bird in Indiana and wonder what is was?
This page is for you!
This article shows you photos and identification of some of the most common birds in Indiana based on color.
The list of birds found in Indiana includes over 420 species. So, I can’t show you all of them. I’m going to assume that you saw a common bird of this color, but you certainly could have seen something less common, or even rare!
Shape (including the shape of the bill) and size are often more helpful in starting to identify a bird than the color. In fact, most birds in North American can be easily identified with a black-and-white photo!
Many birds are multi-colored, so that it may be hard to pick out a dominant color. Males and females may be colored quite differently. And some color patterns are similar among otherwise dissimilar species.
Nevertheless, I’m going to try to pick out some of the birds that you are most likely to see in backyards or towns. And I’ll show a few others that I get asked about a lot.
The birds with a noticeable amount of red on them in Indiana covered in this article are:
- Northern Cardinal
- American Robin
- House Finch
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Scarlet Tanager
The birds with a noticeable amount of orange on them in Indiana covered in this article are:
- Eastern Towhee
- Barn Swallow
- Baltimore Oriole
- Brown Thrasher
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Wood Thrush
- Cooper’s Hawk
- American Kestrel
- American Redstart
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Orchard Oriole
The birds with a noticeable amount of yellow on them, including lots of yellow and black birds, in Indiana covered in this article are:
- American Goldfinch
- Northern Flicker
- Common Yellowthroat
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Cedar Waxwing
- Yellow Warbler
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Northern Parula
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Nashville Warbler
- Yellow-breasted Chat
Red birds of Indiana
Birds get the red, orange, and yellow in their feathers from carotenoids in the fruit, seeds, and plants they eat (source).
These carotenoid colors combine with melanin to form an infinite range of red feathers–pink, rusty, scarlet, violet, red-orange.
The following are red birds that you are most likely to see in Indiana.
Northern Cardinal
These are one of the most common backyard birds in the eastern United States. Their bright red color and unique head profile makes them instantly identifiable to most people–whether they are bird watchers or not!
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| Northern Cardinal. GeorgeB2 from Pixabay. |
Males of these large seed eaters are bright red with a black face and red crest.
Females replace most of the red with brown, The bill is large and orange.
These birds are found in woodlands, stream edges, residential areas.
Northern Cardinals are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
American Robin
These are familiar lawn birds with red breasts.
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| American Robin. Greg Gillson. |
Male American Robins are brownish-gray above with a brick red breast. Females are paler orange below and paler gray above.
They are widespread in open country with scattered deciduous trees, residential areas.
American Robins are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
House Finch
When people ask about a bird with a red head at their feeder, it is usually this bird.
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| Male House Finch. Greg Gillson. |
Males of this dusty brown striped finch have red limited to the head (specifically the forehead and eyebrow), breast (chest), and rump. The red coloration tends toward orangish, and may rarely be yellowish.
Females are streaked, similar to the males but without red. They lack any strong pattern on the face and head.
Note the small round head and curved upper ridge on the bill.
Some people call these red-headed sparrows. Sparrows and finches are similar, but in general, male finches are brighter than the females and tend to hang out more in trees. Sparrow genders are usually quite similar in coloration and tend to feed mostly on the ground.
These birds are common in residential areas, especially at bird feeders. In the West more widespread in arid regions near water.
House Finches are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
These red-throated birds are the only hummingbird nesting in the eastern United States.
Males are dark green above and on the belly. They have a white upper chest. The throat is ruby-red.
Females are green above, white below, including white throat.
These birds are found in woodland edges, residential yards. Readily come to hummingbird feeders.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Red-headed Woodpecker
These well-known woodpeckers with red heads have a fitting name.
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| Red-headed Woodpecker. Public domain. |
These birds have the entire head bright deep red. Back and tail black. Underparts white, as are inner secondaries and rump.
They are found in a variety of wooded habitats. They prefer to have oak and beech trees available. Sometimes come to feeders in winter.
Red-headed Woodpeckers are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
These birds with the red breast and huge pink bill sing beautiful robin-like songs from the tops of trees.
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| Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Susan Killian. Pixabay. |
Males have black hood and upper parts. White under parts. Large white wing patches. Huge pink bill. Inverted bright red triangle on the breast.
Females are brown above, face with broad stripes, white throat. The under parts are buff with many thin brown streaks. Pale bill.
These birds inhabit deciduous and mixed forests. Shade trees in town. Come to feeders.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are summer residents in northern and central Indiana, spring and fall migrants only in southern Indiana.
Scarlet Tanager
A brilliant red and black bird!
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| Male Scarlet Tanager. USF&WS. Public Domain. |
Males are unmistakable with brilliant red with black wings and tail.
Females are olive-green above, darker wings and tail, yellower under parts. Pale bill.
These birds live in deciduous woods.
Scarlet Tanagers are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Orange birds of Indiana
True orange-colored birds are not that common. Many birds that I have here are paler rusty.
The common pattern is an orange body and black or brown wings and tail. Another common pattern is for the orange to be restricted to the under parts.
The following are orange birds that you are most likely to see in Indiana.
Eastern Towhee
These birds with rusty-orange sides like to hide in dense bushes.
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| Female Eastern Towhee. Skeeze. Pixabay. |
Males are black above with white wing patch, white tail corners. The sides are rusty. The belly white. Eyes variable: brown, red, orange, white, tending toward whiter southward.
Females are similar, but upper parts brown.
These birds are found in forest understory, dense brush, backyard hedges. Come to feeders.
Eastern Towhees are year-round residents in southern Indiana, summer residents only in northern Indiana.
Barn Swallow
These orange-bellied birds are a familiar sight across North America in summer.
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| Barn Swallow. Greg Gillson. |
These birds are purple-blue above with orange under parts and long forked tails. The color of the underparts in winter or on females are often cinnamon or buff-colored, but breeding males can be brighter orange-red.
These birds swoop low over fields and wetlands at lower elevations. They may build their mud nests in rafters on porches, garages, or other out-buildings.
Barn Swallows are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Baltimore Oriole
These bright orange and black birds are fairly common breeders in wooded areas in the East.
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| Baltimore Oriole. Michael McGough. Pixabay. |
Males are have a black hood and back. Wings black with white patches. Tail black with orange sides to the base. Bright orange under parts.
Females are similar to males, but more olive above, less black. Immature birds for their first year or more are olive above orangish-yellow on the breast, fading to yellow on the belly. Two white wing bars.
These birds are common in deciduous woods, shade trees.
Baltimore Orioles are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Brown Thrasher
These are rather large rusty-orange songbirds.
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| Brown Thrasher. Linda Jones CC0. |
The upper parts of these birds is colored rusty-brown to orange. They show two white wing bars. Under parts are buff with heavy reddish-brown streaking.
These birds live in woodland edges and mature backyard landscaping.
Brown Thrashers are summer residents throughout most of Indiana, year-round residents in extreme southern Indiana.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Okay, the shoulders are reddish. But the rusty-orange breast and wing linings are barred red too.
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| Red-shouldered Hawk. Greg Gillson. |
The upper parts are barred black and white. The tail is banded black and white. In adults the breast is barred orange.
Immature birds are streaked with brown on the breast.
These birds like woodland edges, residential edges, riparian groves.
Red-shouldered Hawks are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Wood Thrush
These spotted birds with the orange-brown upper parts tend to hide in understory trees and on the forest floor.
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| Wood Thrush. Tony Castro. CC BY-SA 4.0 |
These birds are reddish brown on the upper parts, especially rusty orange on the crown and upper back. White eye ring. Large heavy black spots on the under parts.
They live in deciduous and mixed woods. Spend much time on the ground, shuffling through the leaf litter.
Wood Thrushes are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Cooper’s Hawk
These crow-sized hawks with reddish orange bars on the under parts may show up in fall or winter to hunt birds at your feeder. Oh no!
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| Cooper’s Hawk. Greg Gillson. |
Adults with long gray and black banded tail. Dark gray above and cap on head. Under parts barred with rusty orange.
Immatures similar, brownish, streaked with brown on under parts.
Found in forests and woodlands, residential shade trees.
Cooper’s Hawks are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
American Kestrel
These are the familiar small rusty-orange falcons sitting on power lines on the edge of the highway, or hunting and hovering over the median strip.
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| Female American Kestrel. Greg Gillson. |
Females are rusty orange barred with black on their back wings and tail. The under parts are buff with black spots. The head shows two facial stripes.
Males have blue-gray backs and rufous tail is unmarked except for black tail band.
These birds are found in open country, farms, pastures with perches.
American Kestrels are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
American Redstart
In flight these small warblers flash orange or yellow in the wing and base of the tail.
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| American Redstart. Dennis Jarvis. Flikr. CC BY-SA 2.0 |
Males are black above, white on the belly. They have bright orange patches on side of breast, wings, and base of the tail.
Females are grayer, especially on the head. The orange of males is replaced by yellow on the females.
These birds are found in regenerating woods after a clear cut, and willow tangles along streams.
American Redstarts are summer residents throughout most of Indiana, spring and fall migrants only in southeastern Indiana.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
These active little red-breasted birds crawls all around on the trunk and big branches of conifers. They search crevices in the bark for insect food.
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch. Greg Gillson. |
These tiny birds have blue-gray backs and a black line through a white face. Some males can have quite bright rusty red under parts. Some females can have quite pale buff-colored under parts. Most birds show an orange-cinnamon breast color.
Found nearly exclusively in conifers. Readily come to feeders.
Red-breasted Nuthatches are winter visitors throughout Indiana.
Orchard Oriole
Males of these orioles are darker rustier-orange than most other orioles in the United States.
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| Orchard Oriole. Dan Pancamo. Flikr. CC BY-SA 2.0 |
Males have a black hood and back, black wings and tail. The under parts are rusty-orange or even chestnut-brown.
Females are greenish above, lemon yellow below. They have 2 thin white wing bars. The bill is thinner than many other orioles.
They are found in orchards and residential shade trees.
Orchard Orioles are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Yellow birds of Indiana
Yellow is a common bird color! Often it is mixed with black and white plumage in birds.
Many birds with darker upper parts have yellow breast or belly.
The following are yellow birds you are most likely to see in Indiana.
American Goldfinch
These small little birds are bright yellow and black.
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| American Goldfinch. Greg Gillson. |
Males are bright lemon yellow with black and white wings and tail, black cap. White under tail coverts. Pink bill.
Females are duller yellow below and brownish above. Lack black cap.
Winter birds are pale brown or gray, a touch of yellow on the throat of males.
These are birds of open country, fields with saplings, clear cuts, residential areas. They avoid dense forests, mountains, deserts. They visit feeders.
American Goldfinches are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Northern Flicker
These woodpeckers spend much time eating ants on the ground.
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| Northern Flicker. Greg Gillson. |
These birds are larger than robins with brown and black barred upper parts. The underparts are pink with round black spots. There is a black crescent across the chest. When they fly away from you they reveal a large white rump.
Western birds have salmon-red under wings and under tail. Those in the East are colored yellow. The male face differs between the two populations–black whisker on the eastern birds, red whisker on western birds. Intergrades from overlap on Great Plains common. These may show male facial characteristics of both populations, or yellow-orange flight feathers.
These birds live in open woods with bare ground for foraging, residential yards.
Northern Flickers year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Common Yellowthroat
These buttery yellow birds are abundant in the marsh vegetation.
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| Male Common Yellowthroat. Greg Gillson. |
These skulkers have bright yellow throats and yellow undertail coverts. Males have a black domino mask edged broadly in white, which females lack. Upperparts are dull olive-green.
Immature males in fall show a shadowed black mask.
Found in damp situations and heavy deciduous brambles following clear cuts.
Common Yellowthroats are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
These are abundant warblers across North America. Affectionately called “butter butts” by many birders, because of their bright yellow rumps that flash in flight.
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| Summer Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler. Greg Gillson. |
Western form (Audubon’s) with bright yellow throat and yellow rump. Large white wing patch.
Northern and Eastern form (Myrtle) with white throat, yellow rump, and two white wing bars.
Winter birds are dull gray brown, with bright yellow rump. Throat may be cream colored or white. Often difficult to tell the two forms apart in winter.
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| Winter Yellow-rumped Warbler. Greg Gillson. |
Breed in mountain or boreal conifers. Widespread in migration. Winter in low river bottoms, open weedy deciduous areas. Rarely come to feeders in winter.
Yellow-rumped Warblers are winter visitors throughout Indiana, more common in southern Indiana.
Cedar Waxwing
These crested birds with yellow band on the end of the tail are often found in flocks. They eat flying insects in summer, fruit and berries the rest of the year.
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| Cedar Waxwing. Greg Gillson. |
These birds are fawn-brown above, with dark gray wings and tail. They have a black mask and wispy crest. The belly is yellow. The wings have waxy red drops on the end of the tertials. The end of the tail has a brilliant yellow tail band.
They are found in open habitats with berries, including juniper woodlands and towns in winter.
Cedar Waxwings are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Yellow Warbler
The golden yellow sun packed all into one little bird! Appears to be an all-yellow bird.
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| Yellow Warbler. Greg Gillson. |
Some populations are bright yellow, some tend toward greenish on upper parts, some more golden. Yellow internal tail corners in flight.
Males with red breast streaking, again, variable by population.
Females somewhat to much paler yellow, some greenish, some whitish. Lack red streaks.
These birds are found in willow thickets on the edge of wetlands and ditches, stream sides in arid regions.
Yellow Warblers are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Eastern Meadowlark
These pale brown birds with the brilliant yellow breasts are home on the ground in prairies. They sing from perches on isolated trees, power poles, fence posts.
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Eastern Meadowlark
Photo by Mike’s Birds from Riverside, CA, US [CC BY-SA 2.0]
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The upper parts are streaked black, white, brown, so they blend into the dried grass where they live. The under parts are bright yellow with a black necklace across the chest. Very similar to Western Meadowlark, best told apart by spring song.
These birds live in prairies and extensive pasture lands.
Eastern Meadowlarks are year-round residents throughout Indiana.
Great Crested Flycatcher
These flycatchers have long tails and big heads with big bill and bright yellow belly.
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| Great Crested Flycatcher. Simard Francois. Pixabay. |
These birds are gray on the face and breast, brownish on rest of upper parts. Bright lemon yellow belly. The under side of the tail and some feathers of the wing are cinnamon colored.
These birds stay in the canopy of open woods.
Great Crested Flycatchers are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Northern Parula
This is a handsome blue and yellow warbler.
Males are blue on the hood and shoulders. Back green. Yellow throat and breast with a dark red spot mid-chest. Broken white eye ring. Two wide white wing bars.
Females are similar, but paler.
They are found along streams and in swampy forests with willows, maples, birches, hemlocks and other trees.
Northern Parulas are summer residents in southern Indiana, spring and fall migrants only in northern Indiana.
Yellow-throated Warbler
These birds with the bright yellow throats creep along the branches high in trees.
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| Yellow-throated Warbler. Dominic Sherony. CC 2.0 |
These are rather gray warblers with bright yellow throat and upper breast. Black crown and face mask with white patch behind. White eyebrow. Two broad white wing bars. Black streaks on white breast and belly.
They like pine-oak woodlands, sycamores, cypress.
Yellow-throated Warblers are summer residents in southern and central Indiana, absent in northern Indiana.
Palm Warbler
This rather drab bird has bright yellow under tail coverts. It tends to spend much time on the ground in disturbed soils. It constantly bobs its tail up and down.
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| Winter Palm Warbler. Greg Gillson. |
Breeding birds are rather gray with yellow throat, vent and under tail coverts. White eyebrow stripe. Chestnut cap. Eastern birds tend to be more yellowish on the breast.
In winter birds are very pale, but with yellow under tail.
They nest in bogs within boreal forests. They like similar habitat at other times of year: open land with isolated scrubby trees or bushes, including coastal scrub.
Palm Warblers are spring and fall migrants throughout Indiana.
Yellow-throated Vireo
Vireos are slow moving small birds that sing throughout the day. These yellow-headed vireos are one of the most colorful of their clan.
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| Yellow-throated Vireo. MDF. CC BY-SA 3.0 |
These birds are blue-gray above, white below. Two white wing bars. Their head is olive yellow with yellow spectacles around the eye, and bright yellow throat.
These birds like large tracts of unbroken deciduous or mixed woodlands. Interestingly, however, they are often found on forest edges.
Yellow-throated Vireos are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Black-throated Green Warbler
Look for these birds with the yellow faces singing high up in the trees in spring.
Males in spring have green back and crown, black throat, circling a bright yellow face.
Females and immatures in fall have a white throat. Greenish ear patch.
Found in many forest types, conifers, mixed forests, and cypress.
Black-throated Green Warblers are spring and fall migrants throughout Indiana.
Nashville Warbler
These birds with the bright yellow underparts do a good job of hiding!
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| Nashville Warbler. Greg Gillson. |
These birds are gray above. The throat and breast and under tail coverts are bright lemon yellow. The belly is white. They have a complete white eye ring.
Females are just a bit paler than males.
These birds are found in re-growing clear cuts, and understory brush in open woods.
Nashville Warblers are spring and fall migrants throughout Indiana.
Yellow-breasted Chat
These unique larger yellow birds may sing day and night, and include whistles and crow-like cawing, often given in a display flight.
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| Yellow-breasted Chat. Greg Gillson. |
These birds are greenish above with bright yellow breast and white belly. They have a dark mask bordered with white.
These birds live in tangles and wet woods.
Yellow-breasted Chats are summer residents throughout Indiana.
Wrapping Up
Most of the brightly colored birds we see are male. The female bird is usually a much duller color. Here’s why our red, orange and yellow birds are males.
Sexual Selection:
- Mate Choice: One of the primary drivers is sexual selection, where females choose mates based on certain traits. Brightly colored males might be seen as more attractive, indicating good health, strong genes, or better parenting abilities.
- Inter-male Competition: Males might also use their vibrant colors for displays and competition against other males, establishing dominance and securing breeding rights.
Camouflage and Predation:
- Nest Protection: Duller colors in females can provide camouflage while incubating eggs and raising young. Predators are less likely to spot a subdued female sitting on a nest, increasing the survival rate of offspring.
- Foraging Efficiency: Females often spend more time foraging for food to nourish themselves and their chicks. Duller colors might be advantageous for avoiding detection by prey while hunting.
Energy Conservation:
- Producing pigments: Developing and maintaining bright plumage requires extra energy and resources. Females, who invest heavily in egg production and chick rearing, might prioritize energy conservation by having less elaborate coloration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the yellow breasted birds in Indiana?
The Yellow-breasted Chat, a secretive warbler known for its complex and mockingbird-like songs, can be a challenging but rewarding bird to find in Indiana. Here are some tips to increase your chances of spotting one:
Habitat:
- Dense shrubby areas: Look for thick, overgrown edges of fields, wetlands, and woodlands with tall shrubs like blackberry, dogwood, and honeysuckle.
- Abandoned fields and clearcuts: Chats often colonize these areas during the early stages of succession, when dense shrubby growth emerges.
- Riparian areas and stream edges: Look for thick vegetation along streams and rivers, especially with willow thickets.
Time of Year:
- Breeding season (April-July): This is the best time to find Chats, as they are most active and vocal while defending territories and attracting mates.
What’s the Indiana state bird?
The Indiana state bird is the Cardinal! These stunning feathered residents boast vibrant red plumage on their heads, chests, and beaks, making them a familiar and beloved sight in Hoosier backyards, forests, and shrublands. Their melodious carols add a beautiful serenade to the Indiana landscape.
The Cardinal was officially named the state bird in 1933, and with good reason! Their striking colors, charming songs, and widespread presence throughout the state make them a perfect symbol of Indiana’s natural beauty and diversity.
Related Articles:
See photos and learn about the most common backyard birds in Indiana, regardless of color.
Birds at Your Feeder in Indiana with accompanying YouTube videos!
See photos and learn what to feed winter birds in Indiana.
Here’s a quick tutorial of how I would teach you to identify birds: 7 Steps to Identify Birds!
Birds with red heads in North America.
Yellow-and-black birds in North America.
