Examples of birds with red on their head include acorn woodpecker, anna’s hummingbird, barn swallow, Brazilian tanager, and cassin’s finch.
In the United States, we typically associate this color pattern with cardinals. However, in other parts of the world, this same color scheme may be attributed to different species of birds. For example, in Australia, brightly colored birds with red on their heads are usually parrots.
Let’s explore some of the birds with red on their heads and where they live.
Examples of Birds with Red on Their Head
1. Acorn Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Melanerpes formicivorus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | throughout the Americas |
These small woodpeckers are found in western North America, from central Mexico up to British Columbia. They get their name from their habit of storing acorns in cracks and crevices in trees. The male Acorn Woodpecker has a red cap, while the female has a black cap with white stripes.
2. Anna’s Hummingbird
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | mainly in California |
These hummingbirds are found in the western United States, Mexico, and Canada. The male has a bright red head, while the female has more of a pinkish hue on her head.
3. Barn Swallow
| Scientific Name | Hirundo rustica |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa |
These birds are found on every continent except for Antarctica. They have long, curved tails and red on their foreheads.
4. Brazilian Tanager
| Scientific Name | Ramphocelus bresilius |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | eastern Brazil and far northeastern Argentina |
The Brazilian tanager is a small songbird found in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. These birds are mostly green, but they have a red head and neck, as well as a red rump.
5. Cassin’s Finch
| Scientific Name | Haemorhous cassinii |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | evergreen forests in the mountains up to about 10,000 feet elevation |
These finches are found in North America, specifically in the western United States. The male has a red head and breast, while the female is browner with some red on her wings.
6. Common Redpoll
| Scientific Name | Acanthis flammea |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | northern Europe and Asia to northern North America, Greenland, and Iceland |
The Common Redpoll is a small finch that lives in the northern parts of North America and Europe. These birds have red marks on their heads, but the amount of red can vary greatly from one individual to the next. The Common Redpoll is mostly brown and white, with a short, stout bill. These birds feed on insects and seeds.
7. Crimson Sunbird
| Scientific Name | Aethopyga siparaja |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | tropical southern Asia |
The crimson sunbird is a small bird found in southern Asia. It has a red head, breast, and belly. The rest of its body is orange-yellow. These birds are found in woodlands and gardens where they feed on nectar from flowers.
8. Downy Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Picoides pubescens |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | forested areas, mainly deciduous, of North America |
The Downy Woodpecker is a small woodpecker native to North America. Their red heads are just one of the things that make them unique; they also have white and black stripes running down their backs. These little birds can be found in forests throughout the United States and Canada.
9. Hairy Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Leuconotopicus villosus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | In the southwest and from Mexico to Panama |
The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker found in North America. It has a black body with white stripes running down its back. The male has a red patch on the back of its head, while the female has a white patch. These birds can be found in forests and wooded areas across the United States.
10. House Finch
| Scientific Name | Haemorhous mexicanus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | western North America |
The house finch is a small songbird that is native to North America. This bird has a reddish-brown body with streaks of gray or brown on its back. The male house finch has a bright red head, while the female’s head is more of an orange-red color. These birds are found in open woodlands, gardens, and suburban areas.
11. Northern Cardinal
| Scientific Name | Cardinalis cardinalis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | throughout the eastern United States and south into Mexico and Central America |
The northern cardinal is a North American bird that is easily recognizable by its bright red color. Cardinals are found in woodlands, gardens, and backyards throughout the eastern United States.
12. Palm Warbler
| Scientific Name | Setophaga palmarum |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the Caribbean and in a narrow strip along the southeastern United States and occasionally along the West Coast |
The Palm Warbler is a small songbird with yellow-orange underparts and a grayish-brown back. The head is reddish-brown, and there is a thin line of red above the eye.
This warbler is found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains during the breeding season. In winter, it can be found in Florida and along the Gulf Coast.
13. Pileated Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Dryocopus pileatus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Canada and in western Washington all the way down to northern parts of California and most areas of the eastern United States |
The Pileated Woodpecker is a large woodpecker that is found in North America. This bird has a black body with white stripes running down its back. The male has a red crest on its head, while the female has a yellowish-brown crest. These birds are often seen drumming on trees with their beaks.
14. Pine Grosbeak
| Scientific Name | Pinicola enucleator |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the boreal forests of northern Eurasia and North America |
The pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) is a member of the finch family. It is native to the boreal forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. The Pine Grosbeak has a wide range of plumage colors including yellow, pink, red, and orange.
The most distinguishing feature of this bird is its large bill. Pine grosbeaks use their bills to crack open pinecones and eat the seeds inside.
15. Purple Finch
| Scientific Name | Haemorhous purpureus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | western Washington |
The purple finch is a small songbird found in North America. These birds are typically red-brown on their upper parts, with conspicuous streaks of white on their wings.
The males have a redhead and breasts, while the females usually have a brownish head. These birds can be found in woodlands and forest edges across Canada and the northeastern United States.
16. Pyrrhuloxia
| Scientific Name | Cardinalis sinuatus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Baja California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, southwestern Kansas, southern Colorado, western Oklahoma, and in woodland edges of northern Mexico |
The Pyrrhuloxia is a member of the cardinal family and is native to North America. This bird has a red head, neck, and chest with grayish-brown wings and a white belly. Pyrrhuloxia can be found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
17. Red Crossbill
| Scientific Name | Loxia curvirostra |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southern taiga forests from Alaska to Newfoundland |
The Red Crossbill is a finch with red plumage on its head. These birds are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. In the United States, they are most commonly seen in the northwestern states.
18. Red-Bellied Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Melanerpes carolinus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the eastern United States |
These beautiful birds are found in the eastern parts of North America. They get their name from the reddish color on their bellies, but they also have a red patch on their heads.
19. Red-Breasted Sapsucker
| Scientific Name | Sphyrapicus ruber |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | forests of the Sierra Nevada and the Pacific Coast |
These birds are found in North America, specifically in the western United States, Canada, and Alaska. They get their name from their habit of drilling small holes in tree bark to drink sap.
20. Red-Faced Warbler
| Scientific Name | Cardellina rubrifrons |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Mexico |
The Red-faced Warbler is a small songbird that is found in the mountainous regions of Mexico and Guatemala. This warbler gets its name from the striking red coloration on its face. The rest of its plumage is primarily yellow and green.
21. Redhead Duck
| Scientific Name | Aythya americana |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | the northern prairies of the United States and Canada and the intermountain marshes of the west |
The redhead duck is a species of duck that breeds in North America. The adult male has a dark brown head with a greenish sheen and a white body with black wingtips.
The female is much less colorful, with a drab brown head and body. These ducks are often found in flocks near bodies of water, such as lakes, marshes, and ponds.
22. Red-Headed Finch
| Scientific Name | Amadina erythrocephala |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe |
The red-headed finch is a small songbird that is found in woodlands throughout eastern Australia. This bird has a reddish-brown head, back, and wings, with a white belly and grayish-brown tail.
23. Red-Headed Woodpecker
| Scientific Name | Melanerpes erythrocephalus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | throughout the central and eastern United States and southern Canada |
The red-headed woodpecker is a striking bird found in North America. As its name suggests, this woodpecker has a bright red head, and the rest of its body is mostly black. These birds are fairly small, measuring about 9.8 inches in length. They can be found in woodlands and forests across the eastern United States and in parts of Canada.
24. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Central America |
The ruby-throated hummingbird is a small, brightly-colored bird found in North America. It has a red throat and breast, making it easily recognizable. These birds are found near forests and gardens, where they feed on nectar from flowers.
25. Scarlet Flycatcher
| Scientific Name | Pyrocephalus rubinus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | southeastern Bolivia and Brazil, Paraguay to Argentina and Uruguay |
The scarlet flycatcher is a small songbird found in the woodlands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. This little bird has striking red plumage on its head, back, and wings.
26. Scarlet Tanager
| Scientific Name | Piranga olivacea |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | eastern North America and winter in northern and western South America |
The scarlet tanager is a small North American songbird with brilliant red plumage. These birds are found in woods and forests throughout the eastern United States and parts of Canada.
27. Summer Tanager
| Scientific Name | Piranga rubra |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | much of the eastern and southwestern United States and northern Mexico |
The Summer Tanager is a beautiful red bird that is found in woodlands throughout the southeastern United States. The male of the species is a brilliant red, while the female is more of a yellowish-green. These birds are often seen perching on tree branches or flying from place to place in search of insects to eat.
28. Vermilion Flycatcher
| Scientific Name | Pyrocephalus obscurus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | any open country in the American Southwest, including arid scrublands, farmlands, deserts, parks, and canyon mouths |
The Vermilion Flycatcher is a small songbird found in western North America. This bird gets its name from its bright red head, neck, and breast. The rest of its body is grayish-white with two black bars on its wings. These birds are found near streams and rivers where they eat insects.
29. Western Tanager
| Scientific Name | Piranga ludoviciana |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Southern California |
The western tanager is a brightly colored bird that is found in North and Central America. This bird has a red head, a yellow body, and black wings.
30. Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
| Scientific Name | Sphyrapicus varius |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | across Canada, eastern Alaska, and the northeastern United States |
These birds are found in forests throughout North America. The males have a redhead, while the females have a yellow head.
Conclusion
There are many different types of birds with red on their head. These include woodpeckers, finches, cardinals, and hummingbirds. Each species has its own unique coloration and habits. Some are found in North America while others can be found in South America or Europe.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.