Oh, how we birdwatchers love to spot a bright-colored bird! Which are the brightest? I give these North American birds bright bird awards.

Bright red birds
Perhaps one of the most loved and most commonly seen birds is the Northern Cardinal. The Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, is a beautiful red with a black face and a red crest and bill. He is a friendly bird that loves sunflower seeds and comes happily to feeders.

The Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus rubinus, sports a startling scarlet belly, breast, throat and head with black wing and tail feathers.

The Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea, is also an eyeful. His head and his body are a scarlet-red with black wings and tail feathers.

Pink bird
Anna’s Hummingbird, Calypte anna, has green back and sides, a white chest and central body with a bright-rose iridescent head. I think it is because the Anna’s head and neck feathers are such a shimmering pink, like sequins on an elegant evening gown, and a color we don’t often associate with birds that this bird is such a winner.

Yellow birds
Yellow-throated Vireo, Vireo flaviforns, has a bright yellow throat, breast and eye ring and lores (spectacle-like markings). This vireo has two bold white wing bars and white underparts.

The Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, is sunshine yellow with red streaks on the breast and black streaks in the wing and tail feathers. His black eyes have white lores or spectacle-like rings. His tail has yellow spots.