2022 | STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL RED HEADED BIRDS

There are a number of beautiful birds with red-heads. Many of these birds visit the backyard of bird feeders as well. So, if you have seen any red-headed birds and are looking forward to knowing which bird it is, you may most likely find it in the list below. Some birds show below may be completely red while other birds contain a few red feathers.

1. Pyrrhuloxia

Pyrrhuloxia is commonly known as the desert cardinal bird and it belongs to the cardinal’s family. They are one of the only Cardinal species that live in the deserts. They have beautiful appearances similar to Northern Cardinals, but their colors are different. They have a red-colored crest above their heads, brown plumage with red spots and patches all along with the wings, belly, and back of the bird.

Females are slightly shorter than males and also have dull colors as compared to males. The young bird is also similar to females. Their diet is similar to the other members of the Cardinal family. They eat insects, seeds, and fruits of different plants. They build their nests in deserted places.

2. Red-Crested Cardinal

The Red-crested Cardinals are beautiful medium size birds with a red-crested head and red bib. They raise their crest when they are agitated. They have white breasts, a belly, and under the tail, but their upperparts and wings are grey. The females are slightly different from the males, as they have dull colors and smaller bodies.

The Red-crested cardinals mostly live in the dry areas of tropical and subtropical regions, they are also seen in places at an altitude of 500 meters. They like to build their nests in the trees near water bodies, such as lakes, ponds, and rivers.

They are found in many regions of North and South America and have also been introduced to many parts of the United States as well. They are natively found in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile but were also introduced in Hawaii and Uruguay.

They have a sweet song that they use to attract females and to declare their territory. The pitch and volume of the male song are different from the female. They are not migratory birds, so they do not move to large distances, they mostly room around the same place and return to their nests after feeding. They sometimes also visit the backyards of the bird feeders to get some food.

3. House Finch

The House Finch is a small passerine songbird most commonly seen in the human neighborhood. They have a redhead, and that is why when people search for red-headed birds they only find out about some house’s finches. There is a chance of almost 90% that the small brown bird with a slightly reddish head you see in your backyard is a house finch. They are very common all across the world.

The house finch male and female are slightly different from one another, as the male has a brown-grey, white plumage and a mildly reddish head, the females lack the reddish head and shoulders, they also have less brown and more white colors in their plumage. The size of a male is also bigger than the size of a female house finch. Also, the weight and wingspan of the male are bigger than the female house finch.

The house finches like to live near the human presence, they create their nests inside the barns, homes, and abandoned buildings and they very often visit the backyards of the bird feeders for food as well.

4. Red-headed Barbet

Red-headed Barbet is a North American native bird from the Capitonidae family. They are mostly seen in humid areas. The Red-headed Barbet has a red spot on its head that goes along the eyes, collar, and neck. Their breasts are also red. They have a yellow beak. The male and female are different from one another, the female lacks the red spot on the head and they also have dull colors.

They also have green, yellow, and blue in some parts of their plumage. The female lay between 2 to 6 eggs and sits on them. The young birds appear similar to the female. They eat small grains, bananas, and other soft fruits. Their nests are in cup-shape.

5. Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw is a parrot with a red-headed, red, and yellow back and a blue tail. They are a large size parrot, mostly seen in Central American and South America. They mostly live in the tropical and subtropical mountain ranges. They have also been seen visiting the bird feeders to get some food. Mostly they eat small to medium size fruits including the banana and other tropical fruits.

The male and female are similar in their feather colors and patterns. They are mostly spotted alone or in a pair. They build their nests in deep woods to avoid predators. The female sits on the eggs to incubate them. They have also been introduced to many other parts of the world as well.

6. Red-Headed Finch

The Red-headed Finch is also known as the paradise finch and red-headed weaver bird. They are known for their redheads and chest. They have a dotted plumage that covers almost their entire body. The male and female are considerably different from one another. Originally, they are from Africa but have been introduced to many other parts of the world including in North and South America as well.

They are a social bird and fly in small flocks together. They build their nests near the dry savannah type area and drylands. The Red-headed finch forages on the ground for food and their diet contains small insects, seeds, and nuts as well.

7. Common Redpolls

Common Redpolls are one of the three species of birds known as the redpolls. They are the only species that live in North American.  They are small passerine finches. The Common redpolls do not have completely red plumage, they only have a red-colored spot on their heads. They appear similar to a common finch, but their head is different from all other birds in the finch family.

The male bird has a red spot on its head while the females do not have this red spot above their heads. The males are larger and heavier than the females as well. The Common Redpolls are a migratory bird species, so they often migrate to warm sites during the winter and return during the summer. They are a seed-eating bird, they get their food from barns, fields, and human neighborhoods.

8. Crimson Sunbird

The Crimson Sunbird belongs to the nectar drinking family of birds known as the sunbird family. They are native to many regions of North and South America. Like the hummingbirds, they also have a large beak that they use to sip the nectar from the flowers. They have a beautiful redhead, breasts, belly, and back. This red color slightly fades into the maroon back. The females look different from the males, they have olive-yellow plumage that covers their entire body.

The females lay 3 to 7 eggs and sit on them. When they hatch, they appear similar to the female. They also have a longer tail. They build their nests in deep woods, marshlands, and hide it very well. They also build their nests near water bodies. They mostly rely on nectar at an early age. But once they mature, they also start eating insects, grains, nuts, and other foods as well.

9. Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinals not only have a redhead, but they are all covered in a red plumage. They are all red, except for the face and eyes side, they have a black face, redhead, and red body. They are a medium size bird and have a beautiful shiny appearance. They also have a red crest above their heads. This red-colored crest stretches when they feel agitated.

The females are duller, they reddish-brown underparts and belly. They are native of the Northside of America but are also seen in southern parts. They also have a beautiful call or song. They also visit the bird feeders in North America to get some food.

10. Red-headed Woodpecker

The Red-headed Woodpecker bird is a medium size bird with a redhead, it belongs to the woodpecker family. This bird is commonly found in many areas of North and South America, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico as well. They have a beautiful redhead and white breasts, belly, and underparts. Their back is black wings have black-white-black pattern while the upper feathers of the tail are also black.

The feathers of the Red-headed Woodpecker are shiny. The male and female look alike but the females have slightly dull colors in their plumage. They build their nests in tree trunks. They dig holes in the trunks and eat insects that they pick while digging with their beak. They also visit the bird feeders to get some food.

11. Crimson Rosella

The Crimson Rosella is a small parrot from Australia and New Zealand but have been introduced to many other parts of the world as well. They are beautiful birds with a red head. They also have a red neck, belly, and some parts of their back as well. Their back contains several colorful scales like patterned feathers. The males are reddish while the females have olive green parts.

Some variants of the Crimson Rosella also have blue color in their tail as well. The young birds appear similar to the females but once they mature, they gain their colors. The Crimson Rosella eats small fruits, veggies, and seeds as well. They mostly build their nests in deep woods, but they also visit the human populations as well.

12. Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium size bird, they are known for their red-colored belly. But they also have a redhead as well. They are more often seen in Florida and other neighboring states. They are also seen in Canada as well. They also have a beautiful, red-colored head. Their belly also contains the reddish-white color in its feathers.

The back of the Red-bellied Woodpeckers has a ladder-type mix of black and white colors. Males head is completely red while the female’s head is half red and half-covered with grey feathers. They are known to eat the insects that they pick from the trunks. They eat grains and seeds as well.

13. White-winged tanager

White-winged Tanager is a small American songbird species that belongs to the Cardinals family Cardinalidae. The White-winged Tanager also has a redhead, and they are commonly seen in some of North America and most of South America as well. The male has a similar plumage to the Northern Cardinals, but they do not have a crest above their heads. The male is all red, except the wings that are black and have a few white wings as well.

The female on the other hand is different from the male White-winged Tanager, the females have a parrot-like green plumage, black wings with two white patches on each wing. Their natural habitat consists of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Their food habits are also similar to Northern Cardinals.

14. Black Woodpecker

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This is an interesting bird from the Woodpecker family, unlike all the other members, this is the only wholly black member. This bird is all black with only a small portion of its head that is covered with a red spot. They are not migratory birds, and they live in the same nest for years. This bird lives in most parts of Europe, some parts of Asia, and Russia. They have also been introduced to many other regions.

The Black Woodpecker is a large size bird in its family. All the feathers of this bird are completely black. They have a red spot on their heads, the female is similar to the males. Females can lay up to 8 eggs. They build their nests by digging holes in tree trunks. Their food habits include eating insects, seeds, and grains.

15. Red-napped Sapsucker

The Red-napped Sapsucker is a bird from the Woodpecker family with a red head. It is native to North American regions and is sometimes also seen in Southern and Central American as well. It is a migratory bird that moves from North to South during the winter. They have a red-head, red collar, and a red crown. They have black and white spots on their back and wings. They have black and white spotted belly.

Male and female are look alike. They build their nests by digging in the hardwood of the trees. They are mostly living in deep woods, marshlands, and sometimes near the water bodies such as lakes and rivers. They eat small insects that they pick from the tree trunks. They also eat small seeds and grains as a portion of food.

16. Red-headed Bunting

The Red-headed Bunting is a passerine songbird that is seen all across central Asia, South Asia, and Europe. They are migratory birds, so they move from central Asia to South Asia. they have an olive-green and brown plumage. They also have reddish spots on their breasts and under the wing cord. They also have some such spots on their back.

The Red-headed Bunting has a red-colored crown on their heads and that is why they are called Red-headed Bunting. The female lays 7 eggs and sits on them till they hatch. They live in deep wood areas and build their nests in trees and bushes. Females are paler than the males. They breed in agricultural land, that has just been cultivated. They eat small insects and seeds as well.

17. Red-bellied Firefinch

The Red-bellied Firefinch is also known as the Senegal Firefinch. They are small in size and have a beautiful song. This bird lives in deserted places, they build their nests within the deserts as well. Most of the time they migrate to other areas as well in search of food. They have beautiful reddish-brown plumage. They have been introduced to many other parts of the world as well.

The upperparts, back, belly, and breast area of the male is reddish. Their head and neck are also red. The under tail and end of the belly fades into olive-brown colors. The female birds have olive-green to brown plumage. They also have some reddish feathers on their heads, but they are not prominent.

18. Pine Grosbeak

The Pine Grosbeak is a North American bird with a red-colored head. They are a member of the finch family and have a similar appearance to many finches. The male and female of the species are slightly different from one another. The males have red-colored plumage, they also have black and white colors in their wings. The underwing part and under the tail part of the Pine Grosbeak is brownish.

The female on the other hand is different from the males, they have a pale brown plumage. Black and white wings, a brownish head, and olive-brown underparts. The female can lay up to 7 eggs and sits on them. They build their nests in the trees, mostly near the water bodies. They sometimes visit the bird feeders to get some food.

19. Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager bird belongs to the Cardinals family and is native to the North, South, and Central American regions. Their plumage color is similar to that of the Northern Cardinals. They have a fresh red color in the male plumage and olive-green color in the female plumage. Their wings contain a few black and white feathers as well. The back of the bird has a similar color to their heads.

They mostly build their nests in deep woods. The Summer Tanager is seen hunting small insects in mid-air. The female Summer Tanager lays four to seven eggs and sits on them till they hatch. They also visit the bird feeders to get food.

20. Red-crowned Parakeet

The Red-crowned Parakeet is a small size parrot bird from New Zealand. They are green colored birds with a red spot on their heads and near their eyes. They also have black and white feathers on their tail. The bird has a green face, green rumps, green-back, and green belly. Their beak is small and points.

The male and female have similar colors but a slightly different weight and wingspan. The females are shorter and carry less weight. They are known to live in the woods. They mostly build their nests inside the tree trunks. They sometimes also build their nests near the water bodies in deep woods. They eat small insects, seeds, and fruits as well.

21. Purple Finch

The Purple Finch is a North American passerine bird from the Finches family. It is one of the widely found bird species in North America as well.  Purple Finch birds also have a red-colored head and purple plumage. The male and female of the purple finch species have a slightly different appearance. The color of the female’s plumage is slightly duller as compared to the male.

The female Purple Finch lays 3 to 5 eggs and sits on them till they hatch. Male provides food and protection to the nest. The Purple Finch bird is an omnivore bird as they eat almost all kinds of food. Mostly they eat nuts, seeds of sunflower, and other plants. They also eat soft fruits and insects.

22. Cassin’s Finch

The Cassin’s Finch bird is also a North American native bird with a red-colored head. It belongs to the finch’s family. Their body plumage is brownish, and they also have white and dark brown color in their feathers as well. The Cassin’s Finch male and female appear to be similar except for their redheads. The male Cassin’s finch has this red mark while the female Cassin’s Finches lack.

The Cassin’s Finch female builds nest near the water bodies, male, and female both works together as a pair. The female lays eggs and sits on them. There are a lot of different foods that Cassin’s Finch bird eats, these include, seeds of plants and shrubs, beans, cracked nuts, insects, and some fruits and berries.

23. Red Crossbill

Red Crossbills are medium size birds from the passerine bird family Fringillidae. They are also known as the red birds in some areas. They are frequently seen in the Southern parts of North America. They have a differently shaped bill. They have a red-colored head and brownish to maroon, red-colored plumage that covers their entire bodies. The females appear to have a slightly duller and rusty looking plumage.

The male and female both work together to build their nest. They mostly live near the water bodies or the edges of the wild woodlands. They eat a lot of different things including grains and seeds, they also eat small insects and fruits and berries of some plant.

24. Western Tanager

The Western Tanager bird also belongs to the Cardinals family Cardinale. This bird is known for its beautiful olive-green plumage. The Western Tanager bird also has a black, white, and yellow shade of the green color as well. The wings of the Western Tanager are black with two white patches on each wing. The male and female appear to be similar.

They mostly live on the edges of the forests. They eat insects, worms, small animals, and other birds. They also eat small grains and seeds of sunflower and other plants of this type. They also eat cracked nuts and suet at the bird feeders.

25 Vermilion Flycatcher

The Vermilion Flycatcher bird is a North American native bird from the flycatcher family. This is a small size bird with a red-colored plumage. They also have a red-colored head and red belly and underparts. They also have brown-colored wings. Male and female are slightly different from one another.

The Vermilion Flycatcher builds its nests near the water bodies or the edges of the woods. The female lays three to seven eggs and sits on them till they hatch, and the male provides the food and protection. The Vermilion Flycatcher eats small insects, flies, and small worms. They also eat small seeds and grains.

26. Acorn Woodpecker

The Acorn Woodpecker is a medium-size bird from the woodpecker family. It has a black, white, and red colored plumage. The head of the Acorn Woodpecker is red-colored. The wings, back, and upperparts are mostly black. The belly area and breasts of the Acorn woodpecker are white.

The male and female are similar in size and shape. They mostly live in the Acorn woods in the United States and Canada. They form small colonies or families and live close to one another. They eat small grains, seeds, insects, and some worms as well.

27. Downey Woodpecker

The Downey Woodpecker is also a red-headed bird from the woodpecker family. This small size bird is native to North America. They have a white, black, and red-colored plumage. They have black colored upperparts and wings with white spots and patches.

They have a white-colored belly and black and whitetail. The Downey woodpecker bird is found commonly in the backyards of the bird feeders. They mostly eat small grains and seeds but they also suet and other insect-based foods as well.