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25 Captivating Black Birds With Yellow Beaks (Ultimate Guide With Photos!)

If you’re looking for help to identify black birds with yellow beaks, this will be the best article you read today. 

In this post, you will find photos, identification info, calls, songs, and all the fun facts you need. 

Examples of black birds with yellow beaks include the Javan myna, yellow-billed loon, great curassow, yellow-billed chough, great hornbill, yellow-billed cacique, black eagle, and many others. 

Here are 25 of the most interesting ones.

Black Birds With Yellow Beaks

Javan Myna

javan myna
  • Scientific Name: Acridotheres javanicus
  • Lifespan: 5-10 years in the wild
  • Wingspan: 15.7 in
  • Beak Color: Bright yellow-orange

Javan mynas are small crested black birds native to the Indonesian islands of Bali and Java.

They are also known as white-vented mynas and belong to the starling family – a group of small-sized passerine birds. 

Javan mynas are mostly black and have yellow-orange beaks, brownish-black wings, and a short crest on their foreheads.

These small black birds also have lemon-yellow eyes and yellow legs and feet. 

Javan mynas are omnivores and feed on seeds, fruit, nectar, insects, and human waste.

They are very social birds that feed in groups. While others eat, one Javan myna will sit at a vantage point and keep watch for danger or trouble.

Javan mynas are also very bold and not afraid of humans. In fact, they will often roost close to human habitation!


Common Starling

Common starling with yellow beak
  • Scientific Name: Sturnus vulgaris
  • Lifespan: 2-3 years
  • Wingspan: 12-17 in
  • Beak Color: Bright yellow (during breeding season)

These small black birds can measure as little as 7.5 inches long and span just 12 inches across their wings.

Common starlings are glossy black with a metallic sheen and have pointed yellow beaks during summer; when the winter season comes, the beaks become darker.

Their beaks are narrow, conical, and have sharp tips – yellow with blue-gray bases in males and lemon yellow with pink bases in females.

Common starlings are also easy to recognize by white dots on their black plumage during winter, short tails, triangular wings, and pink legs.

They are also known as European starlings as they are native to Europe. They were introduced to other places, including North America, where common starlings are now designated invasive species. 

Common starlings will make various warbles, whistles, chatters, trills, and rattles, even imitate other birds.

Source: Vladimir Yu. Arkhipov, ArkhivovCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In the United States, these birds are common around woodlands, parks, backyards, and urban areas of North Texas, where they can be seen year-round, especially in areas where people live. 

Common starlings are very loud and social birds that can live in huge flocks; winter roosts can include from a few thousand to several million birds!

They are omnivores that mainly feed on berries, fruits, and seeds, but also on insects, spiders, snails, earthworms, and other invertebrates.

One of the techniques common starlings use to forage is probing – they will poke the ground with their beaks to try to drive out an insect and then quickly snap it. 


Alpine Chough

Alpine Chough
  • Scientific Name: Pyrrhocorax graculus
  • Lifespan: 8-10 years
  • Wingspan: 30-33 in
  • Beak Color: Yellow

Alpine choughs, also known as yellow-billed choughs, are conspicuous members of the crow family. 

They are found in the high mountains of Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, and Nepal.

Alpine choughs are glossy black birds with yellow beaks, reddish legs, and acrobatic flights. 

They can be also identified by their “preep” trills and whistled “sweeoo” sounds, “churr” alarm calls, and other different warbles and squeaks. 

Source: Marie-Lan Taÿ PamartCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

They breed at altitudes ranging from 4,000 to 16,000 feet and are monogamous species.

Alpine choughs build their nests in caves or cliff face crevices using roots, sticks, and plant stems lined with grass.

Females usually lay 3-5 glossy white-green eggs with brown spots and both parents will rear the chicks. 

Their eggs are unique as they have fewer pores which results in less water loss by evaporation at high altitudes with low atmospheric pressure they inhabit

These social birds feed on insects during summer and when the winter comes, they switch to berries, seeds, and other food found around ski resorts, towns, and monasteries.


Golden-crested Myna

golden crested myna
Source: lwolfartist, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (edited)
  • Scientific Name: Ampeliceps coronatus
  • Lifespan: 15-20 years
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Pale yellow

Golden crested mynas are conspicuous birds with glossy black plumage, pale yellow-orange beaks, and bright yellow heads and wings. 

Males have a more extensive yellow on their heads than females.

Golden-crested mynas mainly inhabit subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests but can be also found in heavily degraded former forests. 

They are common in north-eastern India and Indochina.

These birds mostly feed on insects and fruits, sometimes on small fish and lizards. 

Golden-crested mynas nest in holes and tree cavities and lay a clutch of 3-5 eggs that hatch after approximately 3 weeks.

The word “myna” means “bubbling with joy”, coming from a Sanskrit “madana” meaning joyful or delightful, which is derived from the root meaning “bubbles.”

Read More: More examples of black birds that have yellow heads


Common Myna

Common Myna
  • Scientific Name: Acridotheres tristis
  • Lifespan: up to 12 years in the wild
  • Wingspan: 18 in
  • Beak Color: Bright yellow

Common mynas are large black-and-brown mynas with bright yellow bills and legs. 

They are also known as Indian mynas and they are native to the open woodlands of Asia. 

They have been introduced to other countries, including Australia, Canada, the USA, South Africa, etc, where they can be seen just about anywhere but in the densest forests.

Due to such an extensive range and increasing populations, scientists have declared them as one of the most invasive species in the world that pose danger to biodiversity, agriculture, and humans (by blocking gutters and drainpipes with their nests). 

Common mynas are very noisy birds with several calls: croaks, squawks, chirps, clicks, growls, and whistles. 

Source: L. ShyamalCC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

They are monogamous and mate for life. 

Common mynas breed at elevations ranging from sea level to almost 10,000 feet and lay a clutch of 4-6 bluish eggs. 

The species are omnivorous and consume insects, reptiles, spiders, small mammals, seeds, fruits, and waste. 

These highly gregarious black birds with yellow beaks will often attack and drive away other birds; scientists even recorded them throwing out chicks of other birds from the nest boxes and not even using the boxes later!


Yellow-billed Loon

yellow-billed loon
Source: Ryan AskrenUSGS, Alaska Science Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Gavia adamsii
  • Lifespan: 20-30 years
  • Wingspan: 53-63 in
  • Beak Color: Light yellow

Yellow-billed loons are the biggest of the 5 loon species that exist today. 

They breed in the Arctic and winter mainly at sea along the coasts of the northern Pacific Ocean and northwestern Norway.

They have been also recorded as vagrants in more than 20 countries, often reaching south as far as Mexico and Spain. 

Identify yellow-billed loons by the straight upper edges and angled lower edges of their pale yellowish beaks. 

Breeding adults have gorgeous black upperparts, white underparts, gray sides with fine white spots, and glossy green-black heads. 

Like all diving birds, yellow-billed loons are specialists in catching fish underwater. 

They might also eat some crustaceans, mollusks, and some insects in summer. 

Yellow-billed loons can be also identified by an eerie wailing with a lower pitch than the common loon’s call. 

One of the rarest of all North American birds, yellow-billed loons are threatened by oil development in Alaska and Russia, often drowning in fishing nets, from overharvest, and the loss of their tundra habitat due to global warming. 

That’s why the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed them as Near Threatened.

They are one of the 5 loons found in Canada; read about the 4 others here.


Great Curassow

Great Curassow
  • Scientific Name: Crax rubra
  • Lifespan: up to 24 years
  • Wingspan: 15.7 in
  • Beak Color: Yellow

Great curassows are large pheasant-like game birds found in eastern parts of Mexico, Central America, and northern parts of South America. 

They inhabit tropical and subtropical forests and are known for their distinctive curled head feathers and long tails. 

Male great curassows are black with yellow bills with a round knob; females are slightly smaller and mostly rust-colored. 

They can also be identified by their low-pitched booming or whistling calls. 

Great curassows are monogamous, use sticks, vines, and leaves to build their nests high off the ground, and lay 2 white round eggs. 

They are omnivorous and feed on seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. 

They usually forage on the ground, alone or in small groups, and might scrape the ground in pursuit of the next meal. Their sturdy beaks are an important adaptation for such feeding behavior.

Due to logging, overhunting, and pet trade, great curassows are now listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.


Ross’s Turaco

Ross's turaco
Source: Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
  • Scientific Name: Tauraco rossae
  • Lifespan: 8-20 years 
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Bright yellow

Ross’s turacos, also known as Lady Ross’s turacos, are large African birds that inhabit woodlands, open forests, and riparian areas of the continent.

They are the second largest species of the turaco family and weigh around 1 pound and measure 15-18 inches in length. 

Ross’s turacos are dark purple-black with bright red primary wing feathers and red crests. 

They also have black legs with three forward-facing toes; their fourth toe is semi-zygodactylous and helps them grip and clamber through the tree canopy. 

Male Ross’s turacos have bright yellow beaks while the females have slightly more yellow-green ones. Their short beaks extend to the forehead to create a shield-like structure.

Ross’s turacos are very social and noisy birds that can form groups of up to 30 individuals. 

Their most common call is a loud crackling. 

These birds are omnivores and feed on fruits, flowers, seeds, small insects like termites, and snails. 

They are also monogamous and as part of the courtship ritual, males will feed the females. Both partners will build the nest and take turns in incubating their 2 eggs. 

Fun Fact: Turacos are the only birds that have the true red color; in other birds, the color is the result of the light refraction produced by the feathers. Turacos, on the other hand, have a red pigment called turacin that contains copper, and that gives dark Ross’s turacos their unique red wing color.


Yellow-legged Thrush

Yellow-legged Thrush
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dariosanches/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Turdus flavipes
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Yellow

Yellow-legged thrushes are small songbirds found in South America and the Caribbean Islands, ranging from northern Colombia to southeast Brazil. 

They inhabit rainforests, overgrown plantations, and secondary woodlands. 

Male yellow-legged thrushes have black plumage with gray underparts and backs; they also have yellow bills. 

Females are brownish are have duller bills.

These small thrushes have a song similar to Eurasian blackbirds that consists of several musical phrases and sounds like “sreep-sree-sree“. They also make sharp “srip” and “seet” calls. 

Females might be especially hard to spot due to their camouflaging plumage and lack of singing. 

Yellow-legged thrushes forage in trees and bushes and have a diet consisting of fruits and berries. 

They nest among rocks and lay 2-3 green-blue eggs with reddish spots. 


Golden-headed Manakin

golden headed manakin
Source: Mike & Chris, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (edited)
  • Scientific Name: Ceratopipra erythrocephala
  • Lifespan: 10 years
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Yellow

Golden-headed manakins are small and plump birds found in wet and dry forests, secondary growth, and plantations of Central and South America. 

Males have distinctive jet-black plumage, glistening golden crowns and napes, and short yellowish beaks.

Females and juveniles are olive-green and have pink legs. 

They are one of the most interesting black birds with yellow heads that have fascinating courting displays. 

They will gather in permanent communal leks, usually with 6 to 15 birds. 

Each bird will occupy a horizontal perch and use different displays to attract females. 

Males will jump, slide and dart from perch to perch, often whirring their wings and making buzzing “zit-zit” calls. 

After pairing, a female will build a nest low in a tree and lay and incubate 2 brown-yellow eggs.

Golden-headed manakins are omnivores that eat fruit and some insects.


Common Blackbird

Common Blackbird
  • Scientific Name: Turdus merula 
  • Lifespan: 4 years
  • Wingspan: 15 in
  • Beak Color: Orange-yellow (males), yellow-brown (females) 

Common blackbirds are small birds found in wooded habitats, parks, gardens, and farmlands with hedges in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. 

In North America, people refer to them as Eurasian blackbirds so they are not confused with similarly-looking but unrelated New World blackbirds. 

Male common blackbirds are glossy black with bright orange-yellow beaks. Females are brown and have dull yellowish-brown beaks.

These birds become very territorial during the breeding season and males will often use “bow and run” displays to chase away competitors. 

They will run headfirst at the opponent, raise their heads, and then bow with their tails dipped simultaneously. 

Scientists from the University of Waikato of New Zealand suspect that the yellow-orange bill color in male blackbirds is “probably produced by the deposition of carotenoid-based pigments”. 

Their research showed that territorial males will be less aggressive towards yellow-billed intruders; females, on the other hand, are not interested in color and might respond more to those that have shinier beaks (UV reflectance).

Males can be also recognized by a rich melodious song they sing around urban and suburban neighborhoods with trees and hedges. 

Source: Oona Räisänen (Mysid), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Common blackbirds are omnivores that feed on worms, fruits, and seeds. 

Some estimates claim that there are between 160 and 500 million of these birds in existence today.


Yellow-rumped Cacique

Yellow-rumped Cacique
  • Scientific Name: Cacicus cela
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Pale yellow

Yellow-rumped caciques are long and slim perching birds found in northern parts of South America. 

They range from Panama and Trinidad to Brazil and Peru and inhabit open woodlands, mangrove forests, and cultivated areas with open fields.

Yellow-rumped caciques are black birds with pale yellow pointed beaks, blue eyes, and bright yellow rumps, bellies, and the base of their tails. 

They can be also identified by a song that consists of fluting notes with cackles and wheezes; occasionally they might mimic the calls of other birds. 

These blackbirds with yellow beaks are omnivores and have a diet consisting of insects, spiders, nectar, and fruit. 

As part of their courting ritual, males will flap their wings and display their yellow feathers. 

Females build nests in tall trees with a wasp nest, this helps keep predators away, and lay 1-3 bluish-white eggs. 

They nest colonially, with up to 100 nests built in a single tree.

Read More: More examples of black birds with yellow wings


Bateleur

bateleur
  • Scientific Name: Terathopius ecaudatus 
  • Lifespan: 27-40 years 
  • Wingspan: 66-75 in
  • Beak Color: Multicolored (red, orange-yellow, black) 

Bateleur is a French word that means “tight-rope walker” and refers to these birds’ unstable way of flying. 

Bateleurs are medium-sized eagles that have long wings and very short tails. 

They are mostly black with silver-whitish wings, bright red faces and legs, and small beaks that have red bases, yellow-orange centers, and black tips.

Bateleur can change the color of the skin around their beaks depending on the mood – when relaxed, the skin is pale red or orange; when excited, it changes to bright red. 

These birds of prey are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, around open woodlands and savannas. 

Bateleurs will spend about 9 hours a day hunting; they prey on antelopes, mice, birds, snakes, carrion, and lizards, and are quite fond of road kills. 

They have several rather peculiar behaviors when it comes to hygiene.

These black eagles with yellow beaks will often dip in water and then spread their wings on land and turn to the sun to dry and keep themselves clean. 

Scientists have also noted bateleurs laying on the ground and warming up the oil produced by their uropygial glands – they will use their powerful beaks to spread the oil around and keep their feathers in good condition.

Finally, they will also let ants crawl onto their feathers to clear them of bits of food, dead skin, and old feathers. Bateleurs will then ruffle their feathers and make ants produce formic acid as part of their self-defense mechanism. This keeps the eagles clear of ticks, fleas, and other parasites.


Black Scoter

Black Scoter
Source: Peter Massas, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Melanitta americana
  • Lifespan: up to 11 years
  • Wingspan: 28 in
  • Beak Color: Yellow

Black scoters, also known as American scoters, are large sea ducks typically seen in flocks in coastal areas. 

They breed on ponds in the Arctic tundra and migrate to the northern USA, Canada, the Pacific coast, Atlantic Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and Asia; some populations might even winter on the Great Lakes. 

Part of their scientific name, “Melanitta” comes from the Greek words “melas” and “netta” meaning “black” and “duck.” 

As the name suggests, male black scoters are all black; the females are mostly brown. 

These sea ducks have very conspicuous and broad bills with bright yellow-orange knobs. 

Black scoters have several vocalizations: descending “wheeoo” whistles during courting, rattling “tuka-tuka” calls, and low growling “tooo-it” flight calls. 

They are very social birds and form large flocks during winter. 

They breed later than most other ducks in North America; they pair in late winter or spring and have 5-7 eggs that females incubate.

Black scoters feed on insects, larvae, fish eggs, crustaceans, mollusks, and some plants.


Andean Coot

Andean Coot
Source: DickDaniels (http://theworldbirds.org/), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Fulica ardesiaca
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Pale yellow

Andean coots, also known as slate-colored coots, are rather large birds found around lakes, marshes, and river mouths in the Andean Mountains and adjacent Pacific coastal lowlands. 

They range from far southwestern Colombia to northwestern Argentina.

Those coots living at higher altitudes have adapted to cope with such low-oxygen environments – they have more capillaries per square inch of their muscles. 

Andean coots come in 3 types: the most common one is with slate black plumage, a dark red forehead shield, and a yellowish bill. 

They also have greenish legs; juveniles have variably grizzled whitish faces and throats.

Andean coots are herbivores and mainly feed on aquatic vegetation.


Common Moorhen

common moorhen
  • Scientific Name: Gallinula chloropus
  • Lifespan: up to 19 years
  • Wingspan: 20-24 in 
  • Beak Color: Yellow and red

Common moorhens, also known as waterhens or swamp chickens, are medium-sized aquatic birds of the rail family. 

They are widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa and can be seen around marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands rich in vegetation. 

Common moorhens have distinctive black-gray plumage, white undertails, and yellow legs.

What makes these waterbirds stand out are their beaks; common moorhens have characteristical red forehead shields and beaks that are tipped in yellow.

They live between 18 and 19 years and when a female is ready to mate, she will make a murmur call. 

Common moorhens can be very vocal and emit different garbling calls and loud hisses, especially when alarmed. 

When their breeding season comes, they become very aggressive and might even attack other waterbirds such as ducks to chase them away from their territories. 

Common moorhens are omnivorous and have a diet consisting of different plants and small aquatic creatures. They tend to forage next to or in the water.


Yellow-throated Toucan

Yellow-throated Toucan
  • Scientific Name: Ramphastos ambiguus
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Yellow and brown

Yellow-throated toucans are large toucans native to Central and South America. 

They inhabit different areas, ranging from plains to tropical and subtropical forests of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. 

Yellow-throated toucans breed from March to June, build their nests in tree cavities above the ground, and lay 2-4 white eggs. 

These toucans are mostly black and have huge bills that measure from 5 to 8 inches in length. 

Yellow-throated toucans have bicolor bills that are lemon yellow above and dark below; males have slightly longer bills than females. 

They also have bright yellow throats and faces. 

Yellow-throated toucans can be also identified by their yelping call that people describe as “Dios-te-de” meaning “God give you”. 

They are omnivores that mainly feed on fruits, and occasionally on some rodents, insects, lizards, and smaller birds. 


Great Hornbill

Great Hornbill
  • Scientific Name: Buceros bicornis
  • Lifespan: 35-40 years in the wild
  • Wingspan: 59-70 in
  • Beak Color: Bright yellow

Great hornbills are one of the biggest hornbill species. 

They measure 37-51 inches in length, weigh 4.4-8.8 pounds, and span 59-70 inches across the wings. 

Their scientific name “bicornis” comes from a Latin word meaning “two-horned” which perfectly describes these birds. 

Great hornbills’ most prominent features are their long bright yellow bills and casques on top of their massive bills. 

The casques are hollow and have a U-shape when viewed from the side. 

Although the main function is unknown, scientists think that such bills play part in partner selection. 

They also have black bodies, heads, and wings, and white necks, abdomens, and tails. 

Great hornbills are common in wet evergreen and deciduous old-growth forests of southeastern Asia, in countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. 

They are omnivores and most (70%) of their diet includes fruits, especially figs; they will also feed on small mammals, birds, eggs, reptiles, and insects. 

Great hornbills are monogamous and to win a female, males will often fight by butting their casques. Females lay 2 eggs and males feed them as they incubate their future offspring. 

Great hornbills are very vocal species – pairs will often sing in a duet as part of their courtship behavior; these birds will also make loud calls in their communal roosts. 

They are the state birds of Kerala, a state in India. 

Fun Fact: Great hornbills do not need to drink – they obtain all the water they need from their diet!

Read More: List of long-billed birds with black plumage


Black Thrush

Black Thrush
Source: Adrianh Martínez Orozco, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Turdus infuscatus
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Yellow

Black thrushes, or black robins as they were formerly known, are small birds found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. 

They inhabit subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. 

Black thrushes are jet black with yellow beaks, rings around the eyes, and legs. 

Females are brown and have yellow legs and darker beaks. 

They forage high in trees, rarely on the ground, and feed on insects, worms, and fruits, especially small berries. They can be seen around other thrush species. 


Black-breasted Thrush

black-breasted thrush
  • Scientific Name: Turdus dissimilis
  • Lifespan: n/a 
  • Wingspan: n/a 
  • Beak Color: Yellowish-orange 

Black-breasted thrushes are small passerines (perching birds) found in Asia, from India to Vietnam. 

They breed in mid-to-high-elevation forests, at altitudes ranging from 4,000 to 8,200 feet and descend into foothills and upper lowlands in the winter. 

Both sexes of these forest thrushes are similar; males tend to be slightly darker and the species was named after the black color of the chests that the males have. 

Male black-breasted thrushes are black on top while females are mostly gray-brown; both have yellow-orange bills, legs, and feet. 

The call of the black-breasted thrush has been described as “sweet mellow” and “melodious”, with their musical phrases including 3–8 notes. 

These birds are omnivores that feed on insects, mollusks, and berries.


Yellow-billed Nunbird

Yellow-billed Nunbird
Source: Patty McGann, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Monasa flavirostris
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Pale yellow

Yellow-billed nunbirds are small songbirds found in South America.

They inhabit humid forests, transitional forests, and second growth or borders at forest openings of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. 

Yellow-billed nunbirds are sooty black with short pale yellow beaks. 

They also have dark gray bellies, white shoulder patches, and greenish-black tails. 

Yellow-bellied nunbirds typically forage in small groups, mostly grabbing insects in the air. 

Identify them also by their “wheekit-wheeyk” warbling song. 


Yellow-billed Magpie

Yellow-billed Magpie
Source: Kai Schreiber from Jersey City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Pica nuttalli
  • Lifespan: up to 10 years
  • Wingspan: 22 in
  • Beak Color: Bright yellow

Yellow-billed magpies are also known as California magpies. 

These large members of the crow family can be only found in Central Valley and adjacent chaparral foothills and mountains of California, in the USA. 

They look identical to black-billed magpies – the main differences are the yellow-billed magpies’ bright yellow bills and yellow eye streaks. 

They are black-and-white and have large heads, wide wings, and extremely long tails

These yellow-billed songbirds are very social and roost communally. 

Similar to crows, they have a funeral-like behavior where they call for others and gather around the deceased magpie. 

Identify yellow-billed magpies also by their harsh “wok-wok” or “weer-weer” calls. 

They breed in groves of tall trees along rivers and near open areas, build their nests on high branches using sticks and mud, and stay together for a lifetime. 

Females lay 5-8 blue-green eggs that they incubate while the males feed them. 

Yellow-billed magpies are omnivores that feed on insects, grain, fruit, nuts, bird eggs, and even small rodents, and lizards. 

They were named “nuttalli” after Thomas Nuttall, a 19th-century English naturalist.

Read More: Examples of black-colored birds with white bellies


Yellow-billed Cacique

Yellow-billed Cacique
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/neilorlandodiazmartinez, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Scientific Name: Amblycercus holosericeus
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: n/a
  • Beak Color: Ivory-yellow

Yellow-billed caciques are small New World blackbirds that have ivory-yellow bills.

They are completely black and also have dark gray legs and feet and staring yellow eyes.

 Yellow-billed caciques inhabit dense thickets, thick undergrowth in secondary forests, and abandoned agricultural clearings in forests. 

They are common in Mexico, Central, and South America, in countries like Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, Panama, Peru, etc. 

Yellow-billed caciques are omnivores and feed on insects and some fruits. 

They are seasonally monogamous and a pair will only stay together for a season. 

Yellow-billed caciques usually breed from November to June, depending on the region, and lay 1-5 eggs. 

Unlike other caciques, this species builds an open cup nest using vines and leaves. 

Yellow-billed caciques are mostly solitary and sedentary and prefer to stay hidden in thickets and brush.


Black Eagle

Black Eagle
  • Scientific Name: Ictinaetus malaiensis
  • Lifespan: n/a
  • Wingspan: 65 in
  • Beak Color: Yellow and gray

Black eagles are large but slender birds of prey found in forested mountains and hills of southern and southeastern Asia. 

Adults are all-black and have yellow bill bases (called ceres) with silver tips. 

They also have broad wings with distinct “fingers” (emarginated primary feathers) and long tails that are fan-shaped when open and wedge-shaped when closed.

Black eagles breed in tropical and subtropical Asia, in countries like Nepal, India, Burma, China, and Taiwan. Females will lay 1-2 white eggs with brown spots. 

Black eagles are carnivores and feed on mammals, birds, and eggs. They hunt by soaring over creeks, rivers, and forests, and will fly at lower speeds to spot their prey, hence their long primaries.


Double-crested Cormorant

long eyebrows of a double crested cormorant
  • Scientific NamePhalacrocorax auritus
  • Lifespan: 6-17 years
  • Wingspan: 45-48 in
  • Beak Color: Yellow-orange and dark

These large waterbirds are common around bays, lakes, ponds, canals, and marshes. 

Double-crested cormorants are the most widespread cormorant species in North America and can be recognized by their small heads, long necks, and thin strongly hooked beaks with yellow-orange bases.

When the breeding season starts, bushy white eyebrows (feathery tufts) will appear on a male cormorant’s head. 

Double-crested cormorants do not have fully waterproof feathers and can be seen standing on the shore, with their wings spread to dry. 

These large all-black birds are excellent swimmers and dive over 24 feet in depth and stay there for over a minute.

The oldest documented wild double-crested cormorant lived to be almost 18 years old.

Read More: Examples of stunning ducks with blue beaks


Summary

This concludes our list of black birds with yellow beaks. 

Examples of yellow-billed black birds include several types of thrushes, eagles, blackbirds, mynas, turacos, starlings, and many others. 

Hopefully next time you see these birds, you will recognize any of them with ease!

And if you enjoyed this article, here are our other popular reads on birds: List of black-colored birds that have orange bills and List of ducks that have white-colored heads

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