12 Colorful Birds From Around the World

We hope the following photographs of brightly-colored birds will inspire you to keep your eyes open and your cameras at the ready, wherever you are in the world.

South Africa

Marico Sunbird

Sunbirds feed mostly on nectar, but will also eat insects and spiders. They are distantly related to the hummingbirds of the Americas.

The Netherlands

Kingfisher

Despite my many attempts, I’ve never been able to get a close look at a Kingfisher, never mind a good shot. They are fast and quite skittish. The shot below shows the bright plumage of these beautiful birds.

India

Red-whiskered bulbul

Taiwan

Japanese white-eye bird

Pacific Swallow

Iceland

Puffin

Puffins may not be the most colorful of birds, but their bills are quite bright. I will have the chance to get a good look at puffins in Iceland in 2018 while on an Arctic wildlife expedition. If you know of any other birds I should look for during my time in the Arctic, let me know by leaving a comment on the article.

Brazil

Scarlet Ibis

Florida, USA

Flamingo

According to Smithsonian.com, “Flamingos are born with gray plumage. They get their rosy hue pink by ingesting a type of organic pigment called a carotenoid. They obtain this through their main food source, brine shrimp, which feast on microscopic algae that naturally produce carotenoids.”

Australia

Rainbow Lorikeet

I remember very well the day my grandparents told me the story of how all the birds got their colors. According to them, God called for all the birds to come to get their feathers painted and the crows and the magpies arrived last, when all that was left was black and white paint, hence their dull plumage. Looking at the Rainbow Lorikeet, I’m pretty sure it made it first to the painting session.

Eastern Yellow Robin

Photo: Fleur Hocking

New Jersey, USA

Tree Swallow

These birds are common across northern North America. They are fun to watch as they quickly chase after flying insects with acrobatic twists and turns.

American Goldfinch