15 Black and White Birds in Texas
The ones you’ll actually see, where they hang out, and how not to mix them up
Texas is big. Drive-all-day-and-still-be-in-Texas big. So of course it has a ridiculous number of black and white birds in Texas, everything from a sparrow-sized woodpecker on your suet feeder to a pelican the size of a small dog floating on a lake.
But black and white is a sneaky color combo. Plenty of birds look kind of black and white from a distance, then you lift the binoculars and surprise, there’s gray, rust, pink, brown. That’s normal. A few birds on this list are only partly black and white, and I’ll say so when it happens.
I grouped them by the places you’re most likely to spot them, rather than alphabetically, because that makes finding birds in the wild a lot easier. Yard and woods first, then open country, then water. If yellow is more your thing, we’ve also got a post on small yellow birds in Texas.
Before You Start: How to Tell Them Apart
Don’t try to remember everything. Honestly. Just ask yourself three things when a bird shows up. What’s the pattern (stripes, spots, a bib, a wing patch)? What’s the bill like? And what is it doing?
A bird going down a trunk headfirst is not the same bird as one running across a parking lot. The season matters a lot too, since Texas sits on one of the busiest migration routes in the country. The Texas Parks and Wildlife birding pages are a good place to check what should be around and when.
Black and White Backyard Birds in Texas
Start here. These are the birds you can see without leaving the house.
Downy Woodpecker
Tiny. Smallest woodpecker in North America, with a checkerboard of black and white on the wings and a white stripe down the back. Males get a small red spot on the back of the head. The bill is short and stubby, and that’s how you tell the Downy Unlike its larger lookalike, the Hairy Woodpecker, which has a strong, chisel-shaped bill.
Mostly an eastern and central Texas bird, living here all year. Hang a suet cake and wait. It usually doesn’t take long.
Carolina Chickadee
Black cap, black bib, white cheeks. That little combination gives it a look that’s hard not to love. The Carolina Chickadee lives in the eastern two-thirds of the state all year and tells you its name constantly: chick-a-dee-dee-dee.
At a feeder it grabs one sunflower seed, zips to a branch, cracks it open, comes back. Over and over. If you’re new to this hobby, this is a great first bird to learn. Just don’t confuse it with the Black-crested Titmouse, which is gray with a pointy crest and no bib.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Okay, this one comes with a catch. In Texas, the White-breasted Nuthatch is patchy. You can find it in parts of the Panhandle, the Edwards Plateau, the Trans-Pecos mountains and a few pockets of East Texas, but it isn’t a bird you’ll see everywhere. So if you spot one, count it as a win.
It also isn’t strictly black and white, because the back is a soft blue-gray. But the white face, dark cap and the way it walks down tree trunks upside down? Unmistakable. Listen for a nasal “yank-yank.”
Northern Mockingbird
Technically more gray than black, but those wings flash big white patches when it flies, so it earns a spot. Also it’s the Texas state bird, so leaving it out felt rude.
You’ll find the Northern Mockingbird everywhere, all year. Fence, rooftop, grocery store lot. It sings a huge medley, borrowing from other birds, even car alarms. Some males sing all night in spring, which is not fun if one picks the tree outside your window. They also dive at cats and people near their nests, so watch your head.
Black-and-white Warbler
Looks like a tiny striped zebra. And it acts weird, too. Instead of hopping around leaves like most warblers, the Black-and-white Warbler creeps along bark like a nuthatch, sometimes upside down.
Here it’s mainly a migrant. Best chances are April to early May, and again from late August through October. A few breed in the Hill Country and East Texas woods, and some spend winter near the coast. If you see a striped little thing creeping up an oak trunk in spring, that’s probably it.
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
This is the Downy’s desert cousin. Back barred in black and white like the rungs of a ladder, bold stripes on the face, red cap on the male.
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker prefers dry, brushy country: mesquite, cactus, scrubby ranchland in central, south and west Texas. It’ll even work on yucca stalks and thorny brush that other woodpeckers ignore. Lives here year-round.
Quick shortcut: tiny with a black bib, chickadee. Checkered wings and a stubby bill, Downy. Barred back in dry scrub, Ladder-backed. Gray with white wing flashes, mockingbird.
Black and White Birds in Fields and Open Country
Ranch roads, fence lines, wide open nothing. Slow down, roll the window down, and look at the wires.
Killdeer
It’s a shorebird that doesn’t care about shores. Two black bands across a white chest, brown back, orange rump. You’ll hear it before you see it, yelling its own name. Kill-deer! Kill-deer!
Killdeer live across Texas all year in gravel lots, ball fields, plowed fields and the edges of ponds. They lay eggs right on bare gravel. If you get close, a parent will drag a wing like it’s broken to pull you away. It’s fake. Smart, honestly. When you see that, back off, there’s a nest close by.
Eastern Kingbird
Dark gray-black on top, clean white underneath, with a white band at the tip of the tail. That band is the best clue. There’s a red-orange crown patch hidden under the feathers, but you’ll almost never see it.
A summer bird here. Eastern Kingbirds show up in April and head back to South America by early fall. They sit on wires, dart out for a bug, come back to the same spot. And they’re bold, chasing hawks and crows many times their size.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Not strictly black and white. It’s pale gray with salmon-pink sides, plus black and white in the wings and a tail that looks way too long. But lots of people lump it in here, and fair enough.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher nests across north, central and west Texas in spring and summer, then moves south for winter, though a few hang around the Gulf Coast. Males do a sky dance during breeding season, flipping and spreading that tail. Pull over for it. Seriously.
Black and White Water Birds in Texas
Texas has hundreds of miles of coastline, plus lakes, reservoirs and wetlands everywhere you turn. That’s why many of Texas’s best black-and-white water birds are easier to spot once you know where to look near the water.
Black-necked Stilt
Impossibly long pink legs, a thin black bill, black back, white belly. It looks like it’s walking around on stilts. Because, well, yes.
You’ll see Black-necked Stilts in shallow ponds, mudflats, flooded fields and coastal marshes. Along the coast and in South Texas, plenty stay all year. Farther inland they’re more seasonal, mostly spring through fall. Get near a nesting area and they’ll bark at you nonstop.
Black Skimmer
That bill. Red-orange with a black tip, and the lower half is longer than the top. It flies low, dragging the lower bill through the water, and snaps it shut when it hits a fish. Looks bizarre. Works great.
Mostly a coastal bird: beaches, bays, sandbars, jetties. Skimmers nest in colonies on open sand and shell beaches in summer, so give them space. In winter you’ll often see big flocks resting shoulder to shoulder on the sand.
Ring-billed Gull
What most people call a seagull, even though it’s often nowhere near the sea. Pale gray back, white body, black wingtips with white spots, yellow legs, and a yellow bill with a dark ring near the end.
Mostly a winter bird in Texas, roughly October through March, at lakes, landfills and, of course, fast-food parking lots. The Ring-billed Gull shows up inland as well as on the coast. Young ones are mottled brown and look like a totally different species, so don’t panic.
American White Pelican
Big. Wingspan close to nine feet. It looks all white until it opens its wings and shows black flight feathers, and that’s what makes it fit this list. Huge orange bill, too.
The American White Pelican winters on the Texas coast and on larger inland lakes, then heads north to breed. Most are gone by late spring, though a few non-breeders stay. They don’t dive like Brown Pelicans. Instead they float in groups and herd fish into the shallows together, which looks oddly coordinated.
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Short, stocky, with a thick neck, black cap and back, pale gray wings and a white belly. Red eyes. Young birds are brown and streaky and trip up a lot of people.
Black-crowned Night-Herons live in marshes, ponds and slow rivers across much of the state, and they’re strongest year-round near the coast. They’re most active around dusk, so go at sunset. During the day they sit hunched in a tree like a grumpy lump.
Anhinga
Some call it the snakebird. It swims with only the neck and head above water, like a snake, and has a long pointed bill, glossy black body and silvery white patches on the wings (especially the males).
In Texas the Anhinga sticks to swamps, bayous and slow wooded water in East and Southeast Texas, plus the coast. After a swim it perches with wings stretched wide to dry, since the feathers aren’t very waterproof. Once you’ve seen the pose, you’ll recognize it forever.
Where to Go and Improve
Good birding in Texas is often free. State parks and wildlife areas, plus the Great Texas Wildlife Trails, point you to solid spots. Apps like eBird show what people saw nearby this week, and All About Birds from the Cornell Lab has sound clips that help a ton.
Bring binoculars, go early (the first two hours after sunrise are best), and move slowly. Looking to attract more birds to your yard? Check out, this guide to attracting American Goldfinches for simple feeder and water tips that can also attract chickadees and woodpeckers.
Traveling for birds? Compare with yellow birds in California, Arizona, Arkansas (and a shorter Arkansas list), or small birds in Illinois. It’s a fun way to see how the mix changes from state to state.
One more thing. Nesting birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so stay back from nests and colonies. Killdeer, stilts and skimmers especially.
Don’t sweat it: you won’t ID everything the first time. Snap a photo, jot down the pattern and where you were, and figure it out later. That’s how everybody learns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which black and white birds are you most likely to see in Texas?
Northern Mockingbird, Killdeer and Carolina Chickadee are the most widespread. Add Downy Woodpecker in the east, Ring-billed Gulls in winter, and Black-necked Stilts near shallow water.
How do you tell which black and white bird is visiting your Texas backyard?
Size and bill first, then pattern. Tiny with a black bib is a chickadee. Checkered wings and a short bill is a Downy. Barred back in dry brush is a Ladder-backed. A gray bird with white patches on its wings is likely a mockingbird. Watch how it moves, too. That alone settles a lot of cases.
Which small black and white birds might you spot in Texas?
Carolina Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Black-and-white Warbler, and White-breasted Nuthatch where it occurs. Killdeer are small-to-medium, but they live on the ground, not in the trees.
Which black and white birds in Texas are found near lakes and wetlands?
Black-necked Stilt, Ring-billed Gull, American White Pelican, Black-crowned Night-Heron and Anhinga. Skimmers prefer coastal bays and beaches. Killdeer often wander the edges of ponds too.
What time of year is best for spotting black and white birds in Texas?
Spring (April to mid-May) and fall (September to October) for migrants like the Black-and-white Warbler and Eastern Kingbird. Winter for gulls and pelicans. Chickadees and mockingbirds are around all year. And early morning beats any other time of day.
Final Thoughts
Most people walk past these birds every day without noticing. Then you learn the patterns and suddenly they’re everywhere: the stripy zebra on the oak trunk, the stilt tiptoeing through a flooded field, a pelican gliding over the lake.
Pick two or three from this list and go find them this week. Then come back and keep exploring. Head over to Savemite for more bird guides, ID tips and naming help for the species you spot. Happy birding.