When we talk of yellow-bellied birds, the first picture that comes to our minds is of the Warblers. Warblers are small songbirds that live in marshes and woodlands. However, besides warblers, there are a number of other birds who have yellow bellies as well.
In this article, we will take a look at 25 birds you can find in America that have yellow bellies.
Orange-Crowned Warbler
Scientific name – Leiothlypis celata
Body length – 13 centimeters (5 inches)
Weight – about 9-10 grams
Wingspan – 18.4 centimeters (7.25 inches)
Lifespan – 6.8 years
Diet – omnivore
The Orange-crowned Warblers are small songbirds who have bills sharper than any other warbler. While their wings and upper body is olive green, the underparts are yellow.
The females look duller than males. They breed in deciduous shrubs and look for low vegetation during migration. The largest species of these birds, the Sordida, are only found in the Channel Islands of California.
Townsend’s Warbler
Scientific name – Setophaga townsendi
Body length – 12 centimeters
Weight – about 9 grams
Wingspan – 8 inches
Lifespan – 6.6 years
Diet – omnivore
The Townsend’s Warblers have a yellow body with distinct black stripes all over it. The males can be distinguished from the females due to their prominent black cap, which the females and their younger ones lack.
They build their nests on the upper parts of the coniferous trees. These birds stay in the Pacific Northwest deciduous forests in the summers, while in winter they migrate to different regions.
Wilson’s Warbler
Scientific name – Cardellina pusilla
Body length – 10-12 centimeters (3.9-4.7 inches)
Weight – about 5-10 grams
Wingspan – 14-17 centimeters (5.5-6.7 inches)
Lifespan – 6.8 years
Diet – omnivore
The Wilson’s Warblers are small birds with a thin tail who are always in motion. They have a yellow face and underparts, with olive-green wings and back.
The males have a jet-black cap, that distinguishes them from the females. These birds prefer to make their nests in the lower branches of willow or alder trees, which is why they are also called “thicket warblers”.
Kentucky Warbler
Scientific name – Geothlypis formosa
Body length – 13 centimeters (5 inches)
Weight – about 13-14 grams
Wingspan – 20-22 centimeters (7.9-8.7 inches)
Lifespan – 6.9 years
Diet – insectivore
The Kentucky Warblers are small, stout birds with a short tail and a prominent black streak around their cheeks. These birds love to stay on or close to the ground most of the time, where they forage. However, while singing, they prefer a certain height.
Hooded Warbler
Scientific name – Setophaga citrina
Body length – 13 centimeters (5 inches)
Weight – about 9-12 grams
Wingspan – 8 inches
Lifespan – 8 years
Diet – insectivore
The male Hooded Warblers have a distinctive black hood on their yellow bodies. However, in the females, the hood is paler and less prominent; some lack it altogether. They breed in North America and migrate to Central America and West Indies in the winters.
Connecticut Warbler
Scientific name – Oporornis agilis
Body length – 13-15 centimeters (5.1-5.9 inches)
Weight – about 15 grams
Wingspan – 22-23 centimeters (8.7-9.1 inches)
Lifespan – 6.6 years
Diet – insectivore
The Connecticut Warblers are one of the secretive warbler species who make their nests in the dense trees to stay hidden and often walk on the forest grounds to forage.
Unlike most birds who migrate in winters, these small warblers migrate around the departure of spring and the arrival of fall. Oddly enough, the male Connecticut Warblers defend their nesting territory by singing.
Worm-Eating Warbler
Scientific name – Helmitheros vermivorum
Body length – 11.4 centimeters (4.5 inches)
Weight – about 12-14 grams
Wingspan – 20 centimeters
Lifespan – 8.1 years
Diet – insectivore
True to their names, the Worm-eating Warblers prefer caterpillars over the other insects. They have a yellow body with several black stripes on the top of their head. These birds are found in the eastern United States during their breeding season and move to Central America, southern Mexico, and the Caribbean during winter.
Canada Warbler
Scientific name – Cardellina Canadensis
Body length – 12-15 centimeters (4.7-5.9 inches)
Weight – about 13 grams
Wingspan – 17-22 centimeters (6.7-8.7 inches)
Lifespan – 8 years
Diet – omnivore
The Canada Warblers are also referred to as the “necklace warbler” due to the band of black streaks that appear around their yellow breast. These streaks are not prominent in their female counterparts. Although they are omnivores, they prefer insects to fruits and employ several creative techniques to catch them.
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Scientific name – Geothlypis tolmiei
Body length – 13 centimeters (5.1 inches)
Weight – about 9-12 grams
Wingspan – 21 centimeters (8.25 inches)
Lifespan – 7.1 years
Diet – insectivore
The MacGillivray’s Warblers were named in honor of William MacGillivray, a Scottish naturalist, and ornithologist, by John James Audubon. They are small birds with olive upperparts, dull yellow underparts, and a broken, white eye-ring. These little birds are more of a hopper than a flyer and prefer to walk on the ground more often.
Blue-Winged Warbler
Scientific name – Vermivora cyanoptera
Body length – 11.5 centimeters (4.5 inches)
Weight – about 8.5 grams
Wingspan – 17-19 centimeters
Lifespan – 7 years
Diet – insectivore
The Blue-winged Warblers are closely related to the Golden-winged Warblers, although they resemble the Prothonotary Warblers in appearance.
While their scientific name begins with “vermivora”, meaning “worm-eating”, their diet ironically consists of more insects than worms. The population of these warblers is decreasingly consistently due to the loss of habitat.
Kirtland Warbler
Scientific name – Setophaga kirtlandii
Body length – 14-15 centimeters (5.5-5.9 inches)
Weight – about 12-16 grams
Wingspan – 8.75 inches
Lifespan – 2 years
Diet – insectivore
The Kirtland’s Warblers are named after the doctor and amateur naturalist, John Jared Kirtland. The native people of Michigan call these birds “jack pine bird” and “jack pine warbler”. The back of their head is steel grey with yellow underparts with a small beak. Their wings have small black streaks all over them.
Yellow Warbler
Scientific name – Setophaga petechia
Body length – 10-18 centimeters (between 3.9-7.1 inches)
Weight – about 8 grams
Wingspan – 16-22 centimeters (6.3-8.7 inches)
Lifespan – 9 years
Diet – insectivore
Out of all the American wood-warblers, the Yellow Warblers are most widespread. While several warblers have yellow bodies, these birds are by far the brightest. The males have cinnamon streaks on their plumage, which is absent in the females.
Golden-Crowned Warbler
Scientific name – Basileuterus culicivorus
Body length – 8-11 centimeters (3.1-4.3 inches)
Weight – about 4-8 grams
Wingspan – 14-18 centimeters (5.5-7.1 inches)
Lifespan – 6 years
Diet – omnivore
The Golden-crowned Warblers are small, yellow birds with a dark grey back and wings and a short tail. On their head are three black stripes that appear like a crown. They have an insect-like voice that sets them apart from other warblers.
Yellow-Bellied Siskin
Scientific name – Carduelis xanthogastra
Body length – 10.5 centimeters
Weight – about 12 grams
Wingspan – 18-22 centimeters (7.1-8.7 inches)
Lifespan – 8 years
Diet – omnivore
The Yellow-bellied Siskin is a small passerine bird belonging to the family of Finches. The males have a jet-black back, wings, and tail, with a bright yellow belly and two yellow patches on the wings. The females, on the other hand, have an olive-green body, and pale yellow underparts. They make a pleasant, chattering noise.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Scientific name – Elaenia flavogaster
Body length – 16 centimeters (6.5 inches)
Weight – about 24 grams
Wingspan – 20-22 centimeters
Lifespan – 7 years
Diet – omnivore
The Yellow-bellied Elaenia belongs to the family of the tyrant flycatcher. The bushy crest atop their heads set these little birds apart from the others.
They have a small, light brown body with a yellow belly and underparts. Their brown wings are streaked with occasional whites. They have a slightly nasal voice and make a calling sound of “breer”.
Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher
Scientific name – Empidonax flaviventris
Body length – 13-15 centimeters (5.1-5.9 inches)
Weight – about 9-16 grams
Wingspan – 18-20 centimeters (7.1-7.9 inches)
Lifespan – 4 years
Diet – omnivore
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is one of the smallest birds of the tyrant flycatcher family. They look slightly similar to the Yellow-bellied Elaenia but are smaller and slenderer. Their body is a dull olive green with streaks of white on their wings. The underparts are yellow-colored, with a dusky tint on the chest.
American Goldfinch
Scientific name – Spinus tristis
Body length – 11-14 centimeters (4.3-5.5 inches)
Weight – about 11-20 grams
Wingspan – 19-22 centimeters (7.5-8.7 inches)
Lifespan – 3-6 years
Diet – herbivore (granivore)
The American Goldfinch is a North American bird belonging to the finch family. The males and females look very different from each other. The body of the males is a shade of brilliant lemon yellow, with a jet-black cap and black wings with white bars on them. Whereas, the females have an olive-green body with yellow underparts.
Lesser Goldfinch
Scientific name – Spinus psaltria
Body length – 9-11 centimeters
Weight – about 8-11.5 grams
Wingspan – 20 centimeters (8 inches)
Lifespan – 5 years
Diet – herbivore
The Lesser Goldfinches are very small birds of the finch family who frequent the southwest. These birds are mostly seen in flocks, foraging and feeding together. These birds migrate to the South in winters. They have a distinctive flight call which often makes bird-watchers recognize them.
Western Tanager
Scientific name – Piranga ludoviciana
Body length – 7 inches
Weight – about 28 grams
Wingspan – 11.5 inches
Lifespan – 7 years
Diet – omnivore
The Western Tanagers are brightly-colored American summer birds who reside in the pine forests. They have a bright red head, yellow body, and jet-black wings. They feed on insects during the summers, but in winters, fruits make up most of their diet.
Evening Grosbeak
Scientific name – Coccothraustes vespertinus
Body length – 16-22 centimeters (6.3-8.7 inches)
Weight – about 53-74 grams
Wingspan – 30-36 centimeters (12-14 inches)
Lifespan – 15 years
Diet – omnivore
The Evening Grosbeaks are attractive passerine birds belonging to the finch family. They have a heavy bill, short tail, and a body that is brightly patterned.
The males have a bright-golden body, with a black crown, wings, and tail. Above their eyes is a unique yellow-colored pattern. The females look duller in comparison and have a brownish body. The wings and tails are the same for both sexes.
Brown-Chested Flycatcher
Scientific name – Myiarchus tyrannulus
Body length – about 20 centimeters
Weight – about 30 grams
Wingspan – 26 centimeters
Lifespan – 8 years
Diet – omnivore
The Brown-chested Flycatchers are passerine birds who have a brown body with a grey breast and yellow belly. They belong to the tyrant flycatcher family and breed in the southern regions of the US. During the winter, they migrate to southern Florida.
Audubon’s Oriole
Scientific name – Icterus graduacauda
Body length – 19-24 centimeters
Weight – about 23 grams
Wingspan – 30-34 centimeters
Lifespan – 12 years
Diet – omnivore
Also referred to as the “black-headed oriole”, the Audubon’s orioles are the New World passerine birds who inhabit in the forests of the Mexican coast and south-eastern Texas. They have a black head, neck, beak, and wings, with the rest of the body being bright yellow in color.
Couch’s Kingbird
Scientific name – Tyrannus couchii
Body length – 21-22 centimeters
Weight – about 39 grams
Wingspan – 39 centimeters
Lifespan – 9 years
Diet – insectivore
Belonging to the genus of Kingbird, the Couch’s Kingbird is a passerine bird who is named after the soldier and naturalist, Darius N. Couch. They have a pale grey head and wings, with an olive-grey neck and yellow underparts.
Tropical Kingbird
Scientific name – Tyrannus melancholicus
Body length – 18-23 centimeters
Weight – about 39 grams
Wingspan – 12 centimeters
Lifespan – 9.9 years
Diet – omnivore
The Tropical Kingbirds are tyrant flycatchers who are commonly found in the American tropical forests. They have a pointed bill, a grey head, grey-brown wings, and yellow underparts.
Great Kiskadee
Scientific name – Pitangus sulphuratus
Body length – 25-28 centimeters
Weight – about 53-71 grams
Wingspan – 15 inches
Lifespan – 6.9 years
Diet – omnivore
The Great Kiskadees have been named after their remarkable “kis-ka-dee” calls. They are passerine birds belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family. Their head is striped with black and white, with a thin, yellow crown. Their feathers are brown with an orangish outline, and yellow underparts.
Conclusion: Birds With Yellow Bellies
A shade of yellow flying in the blue-colored sky presents a beautiful and soothing contrast to the bird-watchers. If you go through the list given above thoroughly, you will easily recognize the yellow-bellied bird you spot flying over your backyard.