17 Beautiful black birds with white stripes on wings [images + IDs]

Black and white are two contrasting colors. one is dark and intense, while the other is light and calming. It is because of the contrasting nature of these colors that when you see a black birds with white stripes on wings, it looks fascinating.
So what kind of beautiful black birds have white stripes on their wing?
There is a long list of black birds with white stripe on wings. A few examples are the Northern Mockingbird, Killdeer, Lark Bunting, Tricolored Blackbird, and Swamp Boubou.
In this blog post we have compiled a list of black birds with striped wing so follow along if you want to know more about them.

List of black birds with white stripes on wings

1. White-headed Woodpecker

• Scientific name: Picoides albolarvatus
• Lifespan: 10 years
• Wingspan: n/a
• Native to: mountainous pine forests of the western states and British Columbia

The only white features on this medium-sized woodpecker are its head and wing stripes. The rest of its body is nearly totally black. Males, furthermore have a bright red patch on the back of their heads.

These woodpeckers scavenge for seeds by pounding them out of pine cones.

What do white-headed woodpeckers eat? They consume insects and larvae found under tree bark, much like other woodpeckers, and will also consume tree sap. In the breeding season, insects make up the majority of their food.

These monogamous, non-migratory woodpeckers live their whole lives in the same area.

2. Hairy Woodpecker

• Scientific name: Leuconotopicus villosus
• Lifespan: about 11 years to 15 years
• Wingspan: 15-inch
• Native to:  Southwest from Mexico to Panama

The Hairy Woodpecker resembles the Downy Woodpecker, but it is a considerably bigger bird overall and has a longer, thicker beak.

Both the male and female have black upper parts with white wings that are striped with white feathers (though they look more like spots when the wings are folded).

The red spot on the male’s rear of the head is very tiny compared to the red patches on other woodpecker species.

The Hairy Woodpecker is a popular breeding bird that lives all year round in North America.

Both coniferous and deciduous kinds of wood, as well as parks and other urban areas with trees, are breeding grounds for this woodpecker.

Why is it called a Hairy Woodpecker? The Hairy woodpecker gets its name from the long hair-like white feathers that run down the back of the bird.

3. Lark Bunting

• Scientific name: Calamospiza melanocorys
• Lifespan: 5 years
• Wingspan: 9.8-11.0 in
• Native to: The grasslands and shrubsteppe of North America

Lark male Buntings have a dazzling white wing stripe and are totally black. On the other hand, the juveniles and females have light brown color with white streaks.

The Lark Bunting is a seasonal migrant to central North America, having a range that reaches as far north as Canada.

It gathers into large flocks in the autumn and moves south all at once.

Prairies and grasslands are the Lark Bunting’s favorite habitat, where it spends the summer foraging for seeds and tiny invertebrates.

Why is the Lark Bunting important to Colorado? Lark Bunting is the official state bird of Colorado. It was assigned this status because of its acrobatics and dance in the air

4. Eurasian Magpie

Image Source

• Scientific name: Pica pica
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Wingspan: 21-inch
• Native to: Portugal, Spain, and Ireland in the west of the Kamchatka Peninsula

The long tail and black and white coloring of the Eurasian Magpie, as well as its black wings with a noticeable white shoulder patch, make it easy to identify.

This bird is widespread in Europe and Asia, where it nests in both populated regions and secluded forests.

In groups of up to 15 birds, magpies like foraging together when it’s not mating season. They are timid birds that are seldom seen in isolated locations but are also prevalent in urban areas

The Magpie likes to remain near to trees and plants because of its subpar flying abilities so that it has shelter in case a hawk pursues it from the air.

This species’ high intelligence explains why it can survive in a broad variety of different settings, including islands with little or no trees.

5. Yellow-headed Blackbird

• Scientific name: Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
• Lifespan: about 11 years
• Wingspan: 15-inch
• Native to: Mississippi River westward

The bright yellow heads and chests, together with a jet-black body, make adult males stand out.

This blackbird’s females and young have dull yellow heads and are dark brown.

These dark-colored birds forage on abandoned grains on fields in large groups outside of the mating season, usually mixing with other blackbird species.

These birds often feed in fields at this time of year and spend the winter in open, cultivated regions.

They mostly consume insects and other tiny invertebrates throughout the summer.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds often nest in lowland locations with wetlands and thick cattail foliage.

This black-colored bird is only seen in the United States during the autumn and spring migratory seasons.

Are yellow-headed blackbirds endangered? No, the yellow-headed blackbird is not endangered. Its population is increasing and is currently given the status of “least concern”

6. Downy Woodpecker

• Scientific name: Picoides pubescens
• Lifespan: about 3 to 5 years
• Wingspan: between 10 and 12 inches
• Native to: North America

Females are fully black and white, as opposed to males who have a little red patch on their necks.

When the wings are folded, the black and white stripes resemble spots on these birds’ wings.

Except for dry areas in southern states, Downy Woodpeckers are not migratory and may be found all year round in North America.

Its tiny size and short beak set it distinct from the related Hairy Woodpecker.

Despite not migrating, Downy Woodpeckers like moving about in search of regions with an abundance of food outside of the breeding season.

They thrive in deciduous or mixed forests, where they eat insects and insect larvae that live under the tree bark. They also consume berries and seeds in the winter.

What is the difference between a downy and a hairy woodpecker? Downey woodpeckers are smaller than Hairy woodpeckers. They also have a smaller bill as compared to Woodpeckers.

7. Black-and-white Warbler (black bird with white stripes on wings and tail)

• Scientific name: Mniotilta varia
• Lifespan: about 11 years
• Wingspan: 7.1-8.7 in
• Native to: As far north as northern Canada and winter as far south as northern South America

The Black-and-white Warbler has two white wing stripes on its black wings, as well as black upper parts with white stripes.

The white stripes seem more like white streaks or specks when the wings are folded.

Female Black-and-White Warblers resemble males almost identically, unlike many other warbler species, with the exception that they lack the black patch that would have increased the white area on their heads.

The Black and White Warbler is found in eastern North America, from Canada in the north to Texas in the south. Its breeding season runs from May to August.

A minor portion of this bird’s population winters in Florida and the Gulf Coast as seasonal migrant who spends the winter in Central America.

It inhabits a variety of woodland settings and eats tiny insects and other invertebrates.

Are Black and White Warblers friendly? They are not considered friendly birds and are quite fierce in nature. they will attack other birds that try to enter their territory.

8. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

• Scientific name: Sphyrapicus varius
• Lifespan: 6 to 7 years
• Wingspan: 13 to 15-inch
• Native to: Canada, eastern Alaska, and the northeastern United States

Another bird in our list of black birds with white stripes on wings is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It is a winter migrant to Illinois that may be observed in the northern half of the state when wintering there.

The male has a checkered back and a crimson forehead, chin, and crown. Its abdomen and breast likewise have a yellowish tint. The female has a white chin but otherwise resembles the male.

Small woodlands, as well as rural and suburban environments, are home to the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker feeds on insects that are drawn to the bleeding sap.

9. Tricolored Blackbird (black bird with red and white stripe on wing)

• Scientific name: Agelaius tricolor
• Lifespan: 13 years
• Wingspan: 10.2-13.0 in
• Native to: Northern California

Male Tricolored Blackbirds have a similar outward appearance. Except for a little red shoulder streak with a noticeable white stripe behind it, their whole body is black in color.

They differ from Red-winged Blackbirds by virtue of the larger white stripe beneath the smaller red shoulder patch.

In the past, California was home to flocks of these black-colored birds that numbered in the millions.

Less than 40,000 birds make up the whole of the population in California, and they are now considered an endangered species as a result of the significant devastation of coastal swamps and marshes.

There is, fortunately, hope for the survival of this species since Tricolored Blackbirds have begun to nest in agricultural areas in addition to wetlands.

10. Magpie Lark

• Scientific name: Grallina cyanoleuca
• Lifespan: about 25 years
• Wingspan: n/a
• Native to: Australia

Another lovely bird with white wing stripes, long, powerful legs, and a relatively long, narrow beak is the magpie lark. It is a large songbird found in Australia, Timor, and southern New Guinea’s dry forests, savannahs, and grasslands.
Magie larks are omnivorous birds that sometimes eat seeds as well as insects, spiders, worms, crustaceans, reptiles, and frogs.
These birds will sing in pairs, with each note being produced at a rate of around one per second and being spaced by a half-second. Due to this, it is simple to confuse their song for that of a single bird rather than two.
There are other names for magpie larks, such as Peewee, Peewit, Mudlark, or Little Magpie. They typically lay 3-5 eggs and reproduce from August to February.

11. Anhinga (large black bird with white stripes on wings and tail)

• Scientific name: Anhinga anhinga
• Lifespan: 12 years old
• Wingspan: 42.9 in
• Native to: Florida

The Anhinga resembles a cormorant in appearance, but it has a neck that resembles a snake, which it utilises to grab fish underwater.

It’s typical to only see the head and neck of this black bird poking above the water while it’s submerged.

Female Anhingas have a dark grey body with a brown head and neck, but adult male Anhingas are mostly black in color.

When the wings are folded, the white stripes on both sexes’ wings appear like white speckles.

Its most suitable habitat is the swamps and freshwater ponds of the southern region of North America

Are Anhinga herbivores? No, they are adept fish hunters who also capture a variety of other small animals, although their primary prey is fish.

12. Northern Mockingbird

• Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos
• Lifespan: about 8 to 10 years
• Wingspan: 12 to 14 inches
• Native to the United States and in Canada and Mexico

The Northern Mockingbird has blackish wings with dazzling white stripes, but it is not a completely black bird. Instead, it has a very dark grey overall look.

Black wings with white stripes stand out more while in flight because they flash like bright signals.

Both sexes of this common songbird resemble one another. The tail is black with white edges, matching the dark wings.

The underparts are buff white, and it has a brown eyestripe that contrasts with its yellow eye.

In much of the USA, the Northern Mockingbird is a famous garden bird and a year-round inhabitant. Along with Canada, the northernmost states also host it throughout the summer.

Only one species of the mockingbird is present in North America. They are mostly found in woodlands and urban environments with enough trees, such as parks and golf courses.

13. Common Nighthawk

• Scientific name: Chordeiles minor
• Lifespan: 4 to 5 years
• Wingspan: 23 inches
• Native to: Iceland, Greenland, the Azores, the Faroe Islands, and multiple times on the British Isles

The Common Nighthawk is not black, but rather dark brown, like the Northern Mockingbird.

The wings of the common night hawk, on the other hand, are extremely dark brown and feature a brilliant white stripe that is clearly visible while flying.

In low light, a nighthawk appears to be a black bird with white stripes on its wing. Nighthawks are most active between twilight and morning.

Although it is a strictly migratory species and breeds all throughout North America, the Common Nighthawk spends the winter in South America.

Numerous open woodland environments, including urban areas, provide breeding sites for the common nighthawk.

14. White-browed Wagtail

• Scientific name: Motacilla maderaspatensis
• Lifespan: about 12 years
• Wingspan: 11-inch
• Native to: South Asia

White-browed Wagtail is another black bird with white stripes on wings. Similar in appearance, adult males and females have almost all black upper sides with the exception of a white forehead and a wide white stripe on the wing. kids have a darker color.

It frequents forested habitats close to bodies of water, such as marshes, lakes, and riverbanks. seen in cities as well.

It enjoys wagging its tail as other wagtails do, and its undulating wave-like flying makes it simple to identify.

Although they sometimes eat other tiny invertebrates, these birds are mostly insectivorous.

15. Swamp Boubou

• Scientific name: Laniarius bicolor
• Lifespan: about 12 to 15 years
• Wingspan: 10-inch
• Native to: southern Central Africa

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Gabon, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe all have savannah thickets, coastal scrublands, mangroves, and ravine woods that are home to the swamp boubou, also known as the Gabon boubou.
It has a white underside with a black top and a long, distinct white stripe on the wings. The primary visual distinctions between the swamp and tropical boubou include size, beak, underparts, and song.
Swamp boubous are lifelong partners and are omnivores that sometimes consume tiny fruit as well as worms and insects.

16. Black-capped Chickadee

• Scientific name: Poecile atricapillus
• Lifespan: less than two to three years
• Wingspan: 6 to 8-inch
• Native to: New England to the West Coast

This little non-migratory songbird serves as the provincial bird of New Brunswick in Canada as well as the state bird of Massachusetts and Maine in the United States.
It has a long neck, a big head, a black helmet and bib, and grey wings with white spots along the edges.
The unique “chickadee-dee-dee” sounds and the black caps on their heads are how black-capped chickadees received their name.
The white-winged striped chickadees consume a variety of pests, such as insect eggs, larvae, weevils, lice, sawflies, as well as certain snails, slugs, and spiders, making them one of the most beneficial birds in an orchard or woodland.

17. White-winged Triller

• Scientific name: Lalage tricolor
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
• Wingspan: n/a
• Native to: Australian mainland

Small songbirds known as white-tailed trillers have short beaks, black crowns and backs, white underparts, and prominent white wing stripes.
They may be found on the Australian mainland, in the northern islands like New Guinea and eastern Indonesia, and in open woods, forests, and streams bordered with trees.
Omnivorous white-tailed trillers mostly eat insects, fruit, seeds, and rare nectar. They may become quite loud during the breeding season.
Although white-tailed trillers are mostly monogamous birds, there have been a few documented instances of polygyny

Final thoughts on black birds with white stripes on wings

There are many black birds with white stripes on their wings. Some of these species make lovely pets, and their overall look is undoubtedly improved by their white striped wings.
Ideally, you will be able to identify any of these birds the next time you get the opportunity to encounter them in the wild.
If you liked our post, you may also be interested in reading this one about birds: black birds with yellow eyes