Black and White Bird with Red Head: 18 Species It Might Be

6. Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)

Yet another black and white woodpecker with a red head is the hairy woodpecker, a resident of North America. A medium-sized woodpecker, the hairy woodpecker is around 7 to 10 inches long, with a wingspan of about 15 inches. This woodpecker boasts a square-shaped head, a long bill, and stiff, long tail feathers. Interestingly, its bill is as long as the head itself! In terms of color, the hairy woodpecker has a white belly along with a black back, wings, and tails. The back features one white patch in the middle, while the wings have white checkered spots. The hairy woodpecker’s black head has two white stripes on the side. Notably, the males sport a bright red patch on the back of the head.

7. Red-Breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber)

Found across North America, the red-breasted sapsucker is another black and white bird with a red head. As you might be able to guess from its name, this bird drills round holes in trees to access the sap to feed on. Both sexes of this species have that signature red breast and head and a black and white-streaked belly. The back of this bird is mottled black and white, which makes their plumage quite distinctive and beautiful. The black wings of the red-breasted sapsucker feature a large vertical white patch.

8. Scarlet Honeyeater (Myzomela sanguinolenta)

While we’ve covered North and South American birds, if you live in Australia and you’ve come across a black and white bird with red head, it may very well be a scarlet honeyeater. Also known as the scarlet myzomela in some regions of the world, scarlet honeyeaters have a distinctive and beautiful look. As with many other bird species, females and males have different plumage. The adult male scarlet honeyeater has that vivid scarlet red head, which bleeds down to their chest and back. The rest of the bird’s belly in white in color, while the back, wings, and tail are black. Females and juvenile scarlet honeyeaters, on the other hand, are mostly brown with a white-ish belly and a splash of red on the chin. Both sexes have short tails and a strongly curved bill. These honeyeaters are relatively small, growing up to just 3.5 to 4.5 inches long.