Red, Orange, & Yellow Birds of New Jersey

Last Updated on January 18, 2024 by Greg Gillson

Did you see a brightly-colored red bird, orange bird, or yellow bird in New Jersey 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 New Jersey based on color.

The list of birds found in New Jersey includes over 475 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 New Jersey covered in this article are:

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Northern Cardinal
• American Robin
• House Finch
• Scarlet Tanager
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak

The birds with a noticeable amount of orange on them in New Jersey covered in this article are:

• Barn Swallow
• Eastern Towhee
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Baltimore Oriole
• American Redstart
• Wood Thrush
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Brown Thrasher
• Ruddy Duck
• American Kestrel
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Orchard Oriole

The birds with a noticeable amount of yellow on them, including lots of yellow and black birds, in New Jersey covered in this article are:

• American Goldfinch
• Northern Flicker
• Common Yellowthroat
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Yellow Warbler
• Cedar Waxwing
• Great Crested Flycatcher
• Palm Warbler
• Northern Parula
• Pine Warbler
• Prairie Warbler
• Yellow-throated Vireo

Red birds of New Jersey

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 New Jersey.

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 New Jersey.

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!

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 year-round residents throughout New Jersey.

American Robin

These are familiar lawn birds with red breasts. 

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 New Jersey.

House Finch

When people ask about a bird with a red head at their feeder, it is usually this bird.

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 New Jserey. 

Scarlet Tanager

A brilliant red and black bird!

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 New Jersey.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

These birds with the red breast and huge pink bill sing beautiful robin-like songs from the tops of trees.

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 New Jersey, spring and fall migrants only in southern New Jersey.

Orange birds of New Jersey

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 New Jersey.

Barn Swallow

These orange-bellied birds are a familiar sight across North America in summer.

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 New Jersey. 

Eastern Towhee

These birds with rusty-orange sides like to hide in dense bushes.

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 summer residents throughout New Jersey.

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!

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 New Jersey.

Baltimore Oriole

These bright orange and black birds are fairly common breeders in wooded areas in the East.

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 New Jersey.

American Redstart

In flight these small warblers flash orange or yellow in the wing and base of the tail.

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 New Jersey.

Wood Thrush

These spotted birds with the orange-brown upper parts tend to hide in understory trees and on the forest floor.

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 New Jersey.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

These orange-breasted woodland birds of prey are a miniature versions of Cooper’s Hawks.

Sharp-shinned Hawk. dbadry. Pixabay.

These small hawks are the size of jays. Adults are dark gray above with rusty orange bars on the breast. Banded tail is square-tipped, unlike the round tail tip of Cooper’s Hawks.

Immatures are browner above, with brown streaks on the under parts.

Largest female Sharp-shinned Hawks barely overlap with smallest male Cooper’s Hawk–a difficult identification challenge.

These birds are forest hunters, winter birds may be found out more in the open–but trees and brush are necessary for hunting small birds after a chase through the underbrush and foliage.

Sharp-shinned Hawks are winter visitors throughout New Jersey.

Brown Thrasher

These are rather large rusty-orange songbirds.

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 New Jersey.

Ruddy Duck

These small ducks are dark rusty-orange in spring.

Ruddy Duck. Greg Gillson.

Males in breeding plumage (late winter and spring) are rusty, with a white face, and a blue bill. The long tail is often held sticking up. In winter they are brown, with white face, and dark bill.

Females all year are like winter males. Brown body, dark cap, dark line through eye of pale face. Dark bill.

These birds prefer weedy ponds to breed, but in winter may be found in deeper ponds in city parks.

Ruddy Ducks are winter visitors throughout New Jersey.

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.

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 New Jersey.

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.

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 New Jersey. 

Red-shouldered Hawk

Okay, the shoulders are reddish. But the rusty-orange breast and wing linings are barred red too.

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 New Jersey.

Orchard Oriole

Males of these orioles are darker rustier-orange than most other orioles in the United States.

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 New Jersey.

Yellow birds of New Jersey

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 New Jersey.

American Goldfinch

These small little birds are bright yellow and black.

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 New Jersey. 

Northern Flicker

These woodpeckers spend much time eating ants on the ground.

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 New Jersey.

Common Yellowthroat

These buttery yellow birds are abundant in the marsh vegetation.

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 New Jersey.

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.

Male Audubon’s Yellow-rumped 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.

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 New Jersey. 

Yellow Warbler

The golden yellow sun packed all into one little bird! Appears to be an all-yellow bird.

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 New Jersey.

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.

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 New Jersey.

Great Crested Flycatcher

These flycatchers have long tails and big heads with big bill and bright yellow belly.

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 New Jersey.

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.

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 New Jersey.

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 spring and fall migrant throughout New Jersey, summer residents in northernmost New Jersey.

Pine Warbler

This yellow and gray bird is one of the few warblers to visit feeders–and the only one to eat seeds!

Pine Warbler. Nikolaus Schultz. Pixabay.

These birds are yellow-green on head, back, and breast. Wings blue-gray with wide white wing bars. Yellow split eye ring.

Strongly associated with pine forests. Usually high in tree tops.

Pine Warblers are summer residents throughout New Jersey.

Prairie Warbler

These birds with the yellow breasts and odd black line under the eyes are a resident of mangrove swamps.

Prairie Warbler. Public domain.

Males are olive-green on the crown and back with chestnut streaks. Greenish-gray wings have pale wing bars. Yellow face and under parts. Yellow eyebrow, patch under eye. Black line through eye and below yellow under eye patch. Black streaks on sides.

Females are similar but facial pattern fainter, replaces black with green.

They are found in open scrubby woods, mangrove swamps.

Prairie Warblers are summer residents throughout most of New Jersey.

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.

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 New Jersey.

Wrapping Up

New Jersey, with its varied habitats from coastal marshes to mountain forests, boasts a dazzling array of colorful birds. Here are some more of the most captivating feathered jewels waiting to be discovered:

Summer Residents:

• Baltimore Oriole: These fiery orange and black beauties grace trees with their hanging nests and melodic whistles. Look for them in open woodlands, parks, and along rivers.
• Eastern Bluebird: With their bright robin’s egg blue chests and rusty red breasts, these charming songbirds add a touch of elegance to backyards and open fields.
• Summer Tanager: Males burst with color, sporting a scarlet body, black wings with white wing bars, and a turquoise head. They frequent wooded areas and riparian zones.
• Painted Bunting: A splash of tropical paradise in the Carolinas, males showcase vibrantly contrasting colors—blue head, red breast, green back, and yellow belly. Find them in grasslands, shrublands, and open woodlands.

Year-Round Beauties:

• Northern Cardinal: These iconic songbirds bring a splash of red to gardens and woodlands with their scarlet bodies, black masks, and crested heads. Both males and females are colorful, though females are more muted.
• Indigo Bunting: Males shimmer with a brilliant blue plumage, especially in sunlight. Look for them in fields, gardens, and shrublands. Females wear a more subdued brown but are still quite charming.
• Red-bellied Woodpecker: Their bold plumage features a black back, white underparts, and a crimson crown and nape. Listen for their drumming on trees and watch them forage for insects in woodlands and parks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of bird is red headed in New Jersey?

The Red-headed Woodpecker was once a resident of New Jersey, found in mature oak and pine forests with a ground cover of huckleberry or blueberry. Unfortunately, their populations in the state have declined significantly over the past few decades due to several factors:

Habitat loss: The destruction of mature forests and dead/dying trees, which they rely on for nesting and foraging, has severely impacted their populations.

Road mortality: Their habit of feeding on the ground and swooping across roads makes them vulnerable to vehicle collisions.

Limited availability of nesting sites: Competition for suitable nesting cavities from other woodpecker species and other factors further restrict their breeding success.

As a result, Red-headed Woodpeckers are now considered:

Threatened in New Jersey: They are listed as a threatened species by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).

Rare throughout the Northeast: Populations have declined across the region, making sightings in New Jersey even more infrequent.

Though sightings are rare, it’s not impossible to encounter a Red-headed Woodpecker in New Jersey.

Where can I find the Sharp-shinned Hawk in New Jersey?

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a migratory raptor found in New Jersey in spring, fall, and winter. They prefer edges of forests, woodlands, and parks, where trees meet open fields or meadows but also look for them in dense thickets and hedgerows, especially near open spaces where they can hunt. 

Marshes, swamps, and lakeshores can attract Sharp-shinned Hawks due to the abundance of small birds and other prey.

March to May is the peak time for northbound migrants, when they make quick stopovers to refuel before continuing their journey. September to November is another good period, when southbound migrants are active.

Visit hawk watching sites: New Jersey has several renowned hawk watching locations like Cape May Point and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, where you might have a higher chance of seeing Sharp-shinned Hawks during migration periods.

What is the yellow bird in New Jersey?

Determining the “yellow bird” in New Jersey requires a bit more information! There are several beautiful yellow birds found in the state, and their presence depends on the season and habitat. Here are some possibilities:

American Goldfinch: The state bird of New Jersey, these vibrant yellow birds (males brighter than females) with black wings and white wing bars frequent fields, open woodlands, and gardens. They’re especially fond of thistle seeds.

Yellow Warbler: These small, uniformly yellow songbirds flit through treetops and shrubs, particularly in wooded edges and riparian areas.

Common Yellowthroat: These yellow birds with a black mask live in dense vegetation near wetlands and fields. Look for them flitting near the ground and listen for their distinctive “witchity-witchity” call.

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Related Articles:

See photos and learn about the most common backyard birds in New Jersey, regardless of color.

See photos and learn what to feed winter birds in New Jersey.

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.

Little Brown Birds at your Feeder.