Red birds come in stunning shades of crimson, scarlet, and vermilion, lighting up skies and gardens around the world. Here are 12 of the most beautiful red feathered friends found across the globe.
Northern Cardinal
Native to North and South America, the Northern Cardinal is one of the most recognized backyard birds. Males are a brilliant red all over, with a black mask around the beak and a bold crest on top of the head. Females have a reddish-brown hue. Cardinals are chatty songbirds that form monogamous pairs and work together to protect their territories.
Vermilion Flycatcher
This tiny songbird lives in the southwestern United States and Mexico. True to its name, male Vermilion Flycatchers have stunning scarlet plumage accented by a gray back and black wings and tail. Females are more subdued with a light brown body. Vermilion Flycatchers are agile hunters, darting out from branches to snatch insects midair.
Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanagers breed in eastern North American forests and migrate to South America for the winter. Males are unmistakable with blood-red bodies and jet black wings. Females are olive-yellow with darker wings. This striking color combination serves as a warning to predators that tanagers don’t taste good.
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
This large parrot is found across northern and central Australia. Red-tailed Black Cockatoos have inky black plumage except for bold red tail bands and cheek patches on the males. These intelligent birds use tools to pry seeds from tough pods and are known for raucous, social calls that echo through the bush.
Crimson Sunbird
Found in sub-Saharan Africa, the Crimson Sunbird lives up to its name with an all-crimson male and yellow underside. Females have yellow-green upperparts and paler bellies. Sunbirds have slender, curved bills perfect for nectar-feeding and exhibit brilliant iridescent feathers like hummingbirds.
Red Lory
Native to Indonesia and islands of the South Pacific, Red Lories are vivid parrots with entirely red plumage except for purple wingtips and blue markings on the tail. Their bright coloration and loud squawks make them a popular companion bird. In the wild, Red Lories feed on nectar, pollen, and fruits in rainforest canopies.
Red-crested Turaco
This iconic African bird has stunning vermilion plumage accented by jet black wings with a strip of white. Its powder blue belly, red crest, and yellow eyering complete the look. Turacos occupy rainforest canopies where they feed on fruits and enjoy communal roosting. Turacos are the only birds that cannot produce uric acid, so their droppings are white.
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Found across tropical oceans, Red-tailed Tropicbirds have snowy white plumage with two extra long, bright red tail streamers. Their oversized red bills give them a comical appearance. Tropicbirds are aerial acrobats that snatch fish by plunge diving at high speeds. They nest on cliffs and will aggressively defend their eggs.
King Bird-of-Paradise
Hailing from New Guinea, the male King Bird-of-Paradise has a crimson body, dark green wings, two curved tail wires, and an elaborate fan of blue feathers on its head. Females lack the bright colors. Males perform elaborate courtship displays and are polygamous. King Birds-of-Paradise live in mountain rainforests.
Scarlet Macaw
The Scarlet Macaw is an immense, loud parrot of Mexico and Central and South America. Their coloration is unmistakable with bright red bodies, blue wings and tail, and white faces. Scarlet Macaws are highly intelligent and social. They mate for life and can live over 75 years in captivity.
Red-legged Honeycreeper
This tiny songbird breeds in South American forests and is best-known for its bright red legs. Males are mostly black with a red lower back and undertail. Females are duller with olive upperparts. Red-legged Honeycreepers have slender, curved bills for drinking nectar but also eat fruits and insects.
Crimson Rosella
Native to eastern and southwestern Australia, Crimson Rosellas are colorful parrots with red heads, white cheeks, blue bodies, and black-scalloped wings. They live in open woodlands and scrublands. Rosellas mainly eat seeds and fruits, supplemented with nectar, buds, and insects. These popular cage birds are bold and noisy.
Conclusion
The world is filled with a rainbow of amazing birds, including many stunning shades of red. These crimson beauties add a pop of color to their habitats, from backyard feeders to tropical forests. Red plumage serves many functions across species, from attracting mates to warning predators. We are privileged to share the planet with such colorful and interesting creatures. Which red bird did you find most fascinating?