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Imagine the most colorful bird that you can imagine. Can you see what it looks like in your head? Maybe you were thinking of a Peacock, or maybe even a scarlet macaw. These bright-feathered birds stand out vividly in our minds as well as in the wild. Birds rely on their plumage to help them identify members of the same species and birds of the opposite sex. In some cases, brightly colored males incorporate their feathers into courtship rituals. By displaying their multicolored tails and wings, these colorful males hope to attract a future mate. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours, from bright pink to dark blue. While some birds have red chests, another subset of birds exists with yellow chests. Speaking of birds with yellow chests, can you name any of these birds?
If you can’t, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In the course of this article, we will introduce you to 8 different birds with yellow chests. We discuss where they live and what they look like, and describe some of their more famous behaviors. Hopefully, the next time you go hiking, you get to see one of these yellow-chested beauties. Even if you don’t, we’d love to teach you all about these 8 birds with yellow chests.
#8: Chat with yellow boobs
The yellow-breasted cat belongs to the family Icteriidae, of which it is the only current member. Although it used to belong to the New World warbler family, scientists now consider it a separate species. In the summer they breed in the south Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. They migrate south to spend the winter in the coastal areas of southern Mexico and the dense undergrowth of Central America. On average, they are 6.7 to 7.5 inches long, making them larger than any New World warbler. Yellow breast chats mainly feed on insects and berries and can hold food with their feet while eating. Normally quite shy, you’ll often hear their loud calls before you’ve ever seen these wary birds. Their name comes from their bright yellow chest and throat. Meanwhile, their backs appear olive green while their bellies look white.
#7: Kingbird off the couch
Couch’s kingbird belongs to the kingbird genus Tyrannus in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. Named after naturalist Darius N. Couch, these yellow-chested birds live in a fairly narrow area. They only live near the Gulf Coast and reach as far as Texas in the north and Guatemala in the south. Within that zone, their preferred habitats include sparsely wooded areas, riparian forests, and urban areas. Usually they measure about 7 inches in length and have a large head and forked tail. Like all flycatchers, they mainly eat insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and to fly, but also eat berries and seeds. Their plumage appears light gray on their heads and gray-green on their backs. That said, their chest and abdomen have bright yellow feathers. Because of their appearance, people often confuse them with western kingbirds or the more common tropical kingbird, which also have yellow chests.
#6: Fruit Dove with Yellow Breast
Also known as the balorinay, the yellow-breasted fruit dove is a member of the pigeon and pigeon family Columbidae. While fruit pigeons scurry throughout Southeast Asia and Australasia, these yellow-chested birds live only in the Philippines. In general, you can find them in humid tropical forests at low altitudes. A medium-sized species, it is a similar size to other fruit doves, measuring about 9 to 10 inches in length. Like other fruit pigeons, the yellow-breasted pigeon’s diet consists mainly of locally available fruits and berries. Due to the threats of hunting, traps and habitat loss, they are currently under the protection of Philippine law. As their name implies, they have a bright yellow chest. As for the rest of their plumage, they have red and white striped heads, red bellies, green wings, and silver backs and shoulders.
#5: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
The yellow-bellied sucker is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. Depending on the season, you can find these birds with yellow chests all over the mainland North America and the Caribbean. Their preferred habitats are mixed forests, meadows and urban areas at both high and low elevations. Most specimens are between 7.5 and 8.3 inches in length with a wingspan of 13.4 to 15.8 inches. Like other sapsuckers, their diet includes sap, which they find by using their bills to drill holes in trees. In addition, they also eat a variety of fruits, nuts, seeds and insects such as beetles and ants. They have dull yellow feathers on their chest and underparts, fading to almost white near the tail. The rest of their plumage appears red on the crown and throat, and black and white on the face, wings, tail and back.
#4: Western Tanager
Despite its name, the western tanager is actually a member of the cardinal family Cardinalidae. They are found in the western half of North America, from Alaska in the north to Mexico in the south. You can usually find them in mixed forest environments, as well as in parks, orchards and riparian forests. On average, they are 6.3 to 7.5 inches long with a wingspan of about 11.5 inches. Although they also eat fruits, their diet consists mainly of insects such as waspsants, caterpillars, and beetles. Like other tanagers, they often catch their food in the air, but also get it from the branches of trees. Males have red faces, black backs, and bright yellow chests and bellies, hence their name.
#3: Audubon’s Oriole
Formerly known as the black-headed oriole, the Audubon’s oriole is a member of the blackbird family Icteridae. Although relatively common in their range, they only live in southeastern Texas and along both coasts of Mexico. These yellow-chested birds do not migrate and live year-round in dense forests and thickets along the river. In general, they are about 7.5 to 9.4 inches long with a wingspan of about 12.6 inches. Their diet consists mainly of insects, which they find by using their beaks to pry apart tree bark and other plants. They also eat spiders, fruits and seeds. Compared to other orioles, Audubon’s orioles have a unique plumage. Males have all-black hoods, throats, tails, and black wings fringed with white. As for their chest, abdomen and shoulders, they appear almost completely dark yellow, which gives these birds a striking contrast.
#2: Yellow-breasted Woodfinch
Also known as the cloud forest bush finch, the yellow-breasted bush finch belongs to the Passerellidae family of the New World sparrow. While not the most well-known among yellow-chested birds, these South American songbirds are worthy of attention. These thick-looking birds sprawl through forests and woodlands of the Andes Mountains. In the wild you will find them in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. Because they are fairly common in their restricted range, the IUCN lists them as a species of Least Concern. On average, they are about 6.5 inches long and have round bodies and short necks. Their diet consists mainly of insects, but they also eat seeds, especially in winter. They have bright yellow chests and bellies, which fade to gray as they approach the edge of the wings. Meanwhile, their backs, tails and faces appear jet black while their crown is a light brown color.
#1: Eurasian Blue Tit
The blue tit is a member of the Paridae family of tits. These bright blue birds with yellow chests vary everywhere Europe as well as parts of the Middle East. A small species, they measure about 4.7 inches in length with a wingspan of just 7.1 inches. Known for their acrobatic displays, you can often see them hanging upside down from branches or rustling through trees. Gardeners love them for their diet, which includes pests such as aphids, larvae and… moths. They have bright blue crowns and dark blue backs, tails and wings. Their faces appear predominantly white except for a black stripe running across both eyes. Last but not least, their chest and abdomen appear dark yellow. Because of pigments in their food, the more yellow caterpillars they eat, the more vibrant yellow their plumage.
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