What kind of birds have red eyes? Photos of 13 kinds

Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Greg Gillson

Did you see a bird with red eyes and want to know what kind it was? Do you wonder just how many kind of birds have red eyes? Then you’ve come to the right place!

Red eye color is actually quite common in birds. There are several species of birds in North America with red eyes that are quite common. I’ll show you the ones you’re most likely to see in your own backyard or at a nearby pond. That’s because many water birds of various types have red eyes!

Common birds that have red eyes include:

• Spotted Towhee
• Eastern Towhee
• American Coot
• Killdeer
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Wood Duck
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Cinnamon Teal
• White-winged Dove
• Black-crowned Night-Heron
• Canvasback
• Phainopepla
• Horned Grebe

And, yes, it is frequently the adult male that has red eyes. Often young birds and females have brown eyes.

Spotted Towhee

Spotted Towhee. Greg Gillson.

If you saw a bird with red eyes in your seed feeder it was either this Spotted Towhee of the western United States or the similar Eastern Towhee following. Up until recently they were both considered to be the same species–Rufous-sided Towhee. However, recent study indicated that they were different enough in song and DNA to be considered separate species.

These large sparrows often feed on the ground in tangles, scratching through the leaf-litter hop-kicking with both feet at once!

Eastern Towhee

Eastern Towhee. Image by skeeze from Pixabay.

Here, then, is the eastern counterpart of the Spotted Towhee. Rather than wing bars with spots over the wing coverts and back, this species has a white panel mid-wing. Both species have rusty sides and big white tail spots on the under side of the tail, best seen when the tail is spread.

These birds will readily come to seed feeders for sunflower seeds, especially platform feeders. You may see them there, or on the ground under the feeder cleaning up what other birds may have spilled.

American Coot

American Coot. Greg Gillson.

A black bird with red eyes at the local pond is likely to be the American Coot.

Many water birds have red eyes. The odd-looking coot is one you are most likely to encounter anywhere in North America. This relative of rails and cranes has green legs and feet with odd lobes on the toes, similar to grebes. It makes a loud grunting call. 

The chicken-like white bill and dark gray plumage makes it easy to identify–even if you don’t notice the red eye!

These birds have taken over many park ponds. They eat emergent vegetation and fresh tender grass.

Killdeer

Killdeer sitting on eggs. Greg Gillson.

Look close! The eyes of the Killdeer are actually brown. It is the eye ring–bare skin around the eye–that is red. Eye rings turn brightly-colored in breeding season on many species such as shorebirds and gulls.

Killdeer are a plover, or type of upland shorebird, that is very common across the continent on shores and fields. 

They nest on the ground–even the grassy strips of parking lot dividers or the center of a gravel road! 

To protect their young the parents perform a behavior called a distraction display. They scream and drag their wing as if broken and run barely ahead of predators until they are far from the nest. Then they recover miraculously and fly away!

Red-eyed Vireo

There is only one North American bird that has “red eye” in the name. It is one of the most numerically abundant birds in northeastern North America. 

However it tends to be found high in shade trees, often in damper locations. Unless you search for it you are unlikely to see, or even know about, this small insect eating songbird.

You may have heard it, though, singing slowly overhead during the hot middays of summer when all the other birds have stopped singing. You can remember it as widely spaced whistled phrases: “Hear me? Up here. Vireo!”

Wood Duck

Wood Duck. Greg Gillson.

Here’s a colorfully gaudy bird that is found in most areas of the country. 

The Wood Duck is found in quiet wooded ponds in summer, more widely in winter, extending to flooded fields and larger ponds. It nests in tree cavities and readily takes to specially built nest boxes.

The red-orange eye of Wood Duck is surrounded by a deeper red eye ring.

Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk. Greg Gillson.

There are three Accipiters in North America, all with red eyes as adults. Young birds for the first year have paler eyes, a yellowish-orange. 

The Cooper’s Hawk nests in much of the United States and is seen more regularly than the smaller (and more northerly nesting) Sharp-shinned Hawk and larger Northern Goshawk.

With short broad wings and long tail all three species can fly and navigate at full speed through the thickest tree branches and tangles. 

Their diet is primarily small birds. They have been known to spend the winter near bird feeders to the angst and frustration of the bird watchers trying to feed their sparrows and finches.

Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal. Greg Gillson.

This small duck of the West has a showy red eye. It winters in the Southwest and Mexico. In summer it moves north to breed in ponds to SW Canada. It is easily identified by its namesake color.

This is one of my favorite ducks. Love that cinnamon color!

White-winged Dove

White-winged Dove. Greg Gillson.

This large pigeon is found in the deserts of the American Southwest. The red eye is surrounded by a large patch of bare blue skin, brighter in breeding season. 

As you can see they frequent bird feeders and bird baths when available. 

The white wing patches separate them from other pigeons and doves.

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Black-crowned Night-Heron. Greg Gillson.

Night-Herons feed at night in shallow water and sleep away most of the day in dense wooded swampy tangles in medium-sized groups. The bird photographed above feeds at a nearby bait tank and often rests in the rigging of the boats in the marina.

For the first year of life this species is heavily brown and white streaked with a brown eye. Only the adults have red eyes.

Canvasback

Several ducks have orange eyes. Canvasback drakes have red eyes. 

These diving ducks are found in winter on deeper lakes and bays in coastal and southern United States. In summer they nest on prairie pot holes and marshy ponds in the Great Basin northward in western Canada and Alaska. I really have to get a better picture!

Phainopepla

This silky flycatcher is a unique bird of Southwest deserts and scrub. 

They are found wherever there is mistletoe–feeding on mistletoe berries and insects in mesquite desert and dry coastal oak woodlands of southern California. 

They eye is very dark red. The males have big white wing patches on the bases of the primaries, seen in flight. 

These certainly are one of my favorite birds (I think it’s the crest!). They are common and inquisitive desert birds.

Horned Grebe

Horned Grebe. Greg Gillson.

There are several species of black-and-white grebes with red eyes (Eared, Western, Clark’s). 

I chose the Horned Grebe as a representative as it is very widespread. It nests throughout Canada and Alaska. In migration it may be found on ponds and lakes anywhere in the United States, wintering in the sough and along both Atlantic and Pacific coasts–wherever the water remains open all winter.

They eat small fish and aquatic insects.

Other birds with red eyes

There are many other birds with red eyes, including these: Red-breasted Merganser, White-tailed Kite, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark’s Grebe, Black Rail, Common Loon, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Yellow-green Vireo.

Wrapping Up

Roughly 1,100 bird species are documented in the United States. It’s difficult to give a precise percentage, but red eyes aren’t a common feature in North American birds. Estimates suggest around 5-10% of species might have some degree of red in their irises.

The exact number can vary depending on how “red” is defined, as some birds might have reddish-orange or brown eyes that could be included or excluded. Bird coloration can vary within populations, so some individuals might have a stronger red eye color than others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do birds have red eyes?

There are several reasons why some birds have red eyes, depending on the species and its specific evolutionary needs. Here are some of the most common factors:

Pigmentation:

• Carotenoids: These pigments, found in many fruits and insects, can be deposited in the iris, resulting in yellow, orange, or red coloration. For example, American Robins get their orange breast from consuming carotenoids in berries. Some birds’ eyes might appear red due to a high concentration of specific carotenoids in their diet.
• Pterins: These pigments are responsible for many vibrant colors in birds, including yellows, oranges, and reds. In some cases, the combination of pterins and other pigments like carotenoids can produce rich red in a bird’s iris.

Light Filtering:

• Blood vessels: In some birds, the iris contains a rich network of blood vessels. These vessels can contribute to a reddish coloration, especially in brightly lit conditions. The red eyes of the Common Loon, for example, are partly due to their prominent blood vessels.
• Retinal oil droplets: Some birds, particularly diving birds, have oil droplets in their retinas. These droplets help filter light and can contribute to a red eye color, depending on their size and arrangement.

Communication and Courtship:

• Signal and Display: In some species, red eyes might play a role in communication and courtship. The bright color could attract mates, signal dominance, or even intimidate rivals. Red-tailed Hawks, for example, often display their red eyes during aggressive displays.

Camouflage:

• Blending in: Although less common, in some cases, red eyes might actually provide camouflage in specific environments. For example, the red eyes of the Red-eyed Vireo might blend in with the red flowers and berries in its tropical habitat.

Why do some birds have a colored ring around the eye?

Those colorful rings around some birds’ eyes, officially called orbital rings, aren’t just pretty accessories. They play several important roles in the avian world, serving purposes like:

Signaling:

• Age and breeding status: In some species, the color or presence of an orbital ring can indicate a bird’s age or breeding status. For example, young Northern Cardinals might have a less defined or paler ring compared to breeding adults.
• Species distinction: In closely related species, the presence or color of an orbital ring can help differentiate them. For example, the orbital ring of a Yellow-breasted Warbler is bright white, while the American Redstart has a black one.
• Social status and dominance: In some birds, the brightness or size of the orbital ring might indicate social status or dominance within a flock.

Camouflage:

• Breaking up body outline: The contrasting color of the ring can help break up the bird’s overall outline, making it less visible to predators. This is especially useful in open habitats where camouflage is crucial.
• Distraction: The bright ring might draw attention away from the bird’s body, potentially confusing predators or diverting their focus.

Protection:

• Shield against glare: In birds that inhabit bright environments, like deserts or snowy landscapes, the orbital ring might act as a shield against bright sunlight, protecting their eyes from glare.
• Keeping parasites at bay: In some cases, the orbital ring is thought to have antibacterial or antifungal properties, helping to keep parasites and infections at bay around the eyes.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Related Articles:

What kind of birds are yellow and black?

What kind of birds have red heads?

Little brown birds at your feeder

How to identify birds