Trying to identify that black and white feathered bird you saw while out hiking in the Silicon Valley? Listed here are some common birds with black and white plumage in order from smallest to largest.
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
- Wingspan: ~11 inches (28 cm)
- Size: ~7 inches (18 cm) in length
- Habitat: Often found near sources of water – streams, ponds, marshes, and suburban backyards.
The black phoebe is a small flycatcher with sooty black plumage and white belly feathers. Black phoebes are often see perched on low-lying branches, logs, and rocks from which they scan for flying insects.
Black phoebes typically build mud nests on vertical surfaces like bridge supports or building eaves near water.
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
- Wingspan: ~28–30 inches (72–76 cm)
- Size: ~14–15 inches (35–39 cm) in length.
- Habitat: Shallow wetlands including salt marshes, mudflats, ponds, and flooded fields
The black-necked stilt is a wetland bird recognizable by its extremely long, bright pink legs and stark black-and-white feathers. Stilts have needle-thin black bills adapted for picking small prey. Black-necked stilts feed on aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans, insects, and small mollusks, pecking them from the water’s surface or mud.
Black-necked stilts are a common sight in the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge and other local wetlands and sloughs. These shorebirds frequent shallow waters where you’ll often find them along the San Francisco Bay trail system.
No separate black and white swans are needed when this black and white shorebird takes flight. Often seen flying in small blocks, the long legs and slim bodies make them appear like ballet dancers in the air.
Western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
- Wingspan: ~31–40 inches (79–102 cm)
- Size: ~22–30 inches (56–76 cm) in length
- Habitat: Large freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and coastal estuaries; breeds on inland lakes and winters along the Pacific Coast
The Western grebe is a large, slender waterbird with streaky black-and-white plumage, a long neck, and a sharp yellowish-green bill that turns more intensely yellow during breeding season. This grebe has a black cap extending from the crown down the back of the neck, contrasting with a white throat and underparts.
Western grebes are diving water birds that catch fish, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates. They are almost exclusively aquatic, rarely seen on land except during nesting.
Western gull (Larus occidentalis)
- Wingspan: ~55 inches (140 cm)
- Size: ~22–27 inches (56–68 cm) in length
- Habitat: Coastal environments including beaches, rocky shorelines, estuaries, harbors, and piers; rarely found far inland
The western gull is a large gull with a dark gray back, white head and underparts, and black wingtips with small white spots. Unlike the similar California gull, western gulls have pink legs rather than greenish-yellow and lack the black ring on the bill. As with many gulls, the western gull has a bright yellow beak with a red dot on the lower bill.
Western gulls are a dominant scavenger and predator in coastal ecosystems, feeding on fish, invertebrates, eggs, small birds, and human refuse. They are commonly seen around fishing docks, beaches, and piers.
American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
- Wingspan: 8–9.5 feet (244–290 cm)
- Size: 50–65 inches (127–165 cm) in length
- Habitat: Large bodies of water including lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries; commonly seen in shallow inland bays and wetlands
The American white pelican is among North America’s largest waterbirds. When their wings are folded, American white pelicans appear to be all white birds. It’s not until they take flight that their black wing feathers become visible.
American white pelicans have a long, orange-yellow bill with a deep throat pouch. Unlike the brown pelican, which dives into the water to stun fish, the American white pelican forages by dipping its head underwater while swimming, scooping up fish and small water vertebrates with its bill.
