Glittering Obsessions: Birds That Like Shiny Things (12 Species)

The Blue Jay is a vibrant and easily recognized bird, known for its intelligence, distinctive calls, and bold behavior, commonly found throughout the eastern and central United States.

Appearance: The Blue Jay sports a striking blue upper body with white and black markings. Its face has a pronounced white patch with a black necklace that runs across the throat and around the head. The bird also features a pronounced blue crest, which can be raised or lowered, and its wings and tail are brightly colored with black bars and white tips.

Diet: Blue Jays are omnivores. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, nuts, especially acorns, fruits, and small insects. They’ve also been known to eat eggs or nestlings of other birds occasionally. Blue Jays often store food items in caches to eat later.

Reproduction: Blue Jays are monogamous birds that form long-lasting pair bonds. They typically build their nests in trees or large shrubs, constructing them from twigs, grass, and sometimes using mud as a binder. The female lays a clutch of 3 to 6 eggs, which are pale blue or sometimes white with brown speckles.

The crow is a common bird found in many parts of the world, known for its distinctive black feathers and cawing call. They are highly intelligent and adaptable, able to thrive in a variety of environments from urban areas to rural forests.

Crows are omnivorous, feeding on a range of foods including insects, small animals, seeds, fruit, and carrion. They are also known to scavenge and steal food from other animals, and have been observed using tools to obtain food.

Crows are known for their intelligence and social behaviors, often forming large flocks and working together to defend their territory or find food. They are also known for their ability to recognize individual humans and remember faces, which has led to them being used in research on animal cognition.

The Black-Billed Magpie is a striking bird native to the western half of North America, recognized for its bold black and white plumage and long tail. Its vocalizations are varied, including harsh chatters and melodious notes, and it’s known to be both curious and intelligent.

Appearance: The Black-Billed Magpie has a unique appearance with its glossy black head, chest, and tail contrasting sharply against its white belly and shoulder patches. Its long tail, which is iridescent greenish-blue, is one of its most distinguishing features. The wings also display a hint of iridescent blue-green.

Diet: Black-Billed Magpies are omnivorous and have a diverse diet. They primarily eat insects, especially in summer, but will also consume small mammals, berries, seeds, and carrion. They are often seen scavenging roadkill and are known to store food in the ground for later consumption.

Reproduction: Black-Billed Magpies mate monogamously and usually build large, domed nests in trees or large shrubs. These nests are made from twigs and mud and can be quite elaborate. The female lays a clutch of about 6 to 9 eggs, which are greenish or bluish and speckled with brown.

The Mynah bird is best known for its exceptional ability to mimic sounds, making it one of the most captivating songbirds in urban areas across its range.

Appearance: Mynahs possess a sleek black body, highlighted by bright yellow patches around the eyes and legs. Their wings often have white markings, especially noticeable during flight.

Diet: Mynahs are omnivorous birds with a penchant for fruits, especially berries. They also consume insects, nectar, and kitchen scraps when in urban settings.

Reproduction: Mynahs prefer to nest in tree hollows, crevices, or other sheltered spots. Once the ideal location is chosen, the female lays a clutch of 2 to 5 eggs.

The Western Jackdaw is a sociable and intelligent bird, widely recognized for its playful nature and strong affiliation with urban environments.

Appearance: Western Jackdaws are relatively small, with a glossy black plumage that adorns most of their body. However, the sides of their head and nape are light grey. Their striking pale eyes are another distinguishing feature.

Diet: Primarily omnivorous, Western Jackdaws feed on a wide range of items. They prefer seeds, fruits, and insects, but their adaptable nature means they often scavenge for scraps in urban settings, including leftover human foods.

Reproduction: Western Jackdaws are monogamous, often forming bonds that last a lifetime. They prefer to nest in cavities, be it natural ones in trees or man-made structures like chimneys. The female typically lays a clutch of 4 to 6 eggs, which both parents help incubate and raise.

The Satin Bowerbird is a unique bird recognized for its vibrant blue eyes and the male’s practice of building intricate, decorated bowers to impress potential mates.

Appearance: Satin Bowerbirds have sexual dimorphism in their plumage. Males are glossy blue-black all over, with striking bright blue eyes. Females, on the other hand, are more subdued in coloration with a mix of green, gray, and cream, but they also boast the same vivid blue eyes.

Diet: Satin Bowerbirds have a varied diet but primarily feed on fruits, especially figs. They also consume leaves, seeds, flowers, and insects. Their diet might change based on season and availability of food sources.

Reproduction: Males are known to build specialized structures, or “bowers”, made of twigs and decorated with a collection of blue objects to attract females. These can range from feathers to berries and even man-made items like plastic or bottle caps. After a successful courtship, females lay a clutch of 1 to 3 eggs in a different location, and they are solely responsible for the incubation and rearing of the chicks.

The Common Raven is a large, intelligent bird known for its glossy black plumage and its deep, resonating calls. It has a wide distribution and is often associated with myths and legends in various cultures due to its enigmatic nature.

Appearance: Common Ravens are entirely black, from their robust bills to their shaggy throat feathers. Their eyes are dark, and their wingspan is impressive, often mistaken for a hawk or crow. Both males and females share this appearance, though males are typically slightly larger.

Diet: These birds are highly versatile in their diet, feeding on a variety of foods including small mammals, birds, carrion, fruits, grains, and insects. Their adaptability allows them to exploit various food sources depending on availability.

Reproduction: Common Ravens are monogamous and often form long-lasting pair bonds. They typically build large nests made of sticks, often positioned on cliff ledges or high in trees. The female lays a clutch of about 3 to 7 eggs.

The Superb Lyrebird is renowned for its exceptional mimicry abilities and intricate courtship display, primarily found in the rainforests of southeastern Australia.

Appearance: Superb Lyrebirds possess a neutral-colored plumage. Males are distinguished by their ornate tail feathers, which when fanned out during displays resemble a lyre or a musical harp. These tail feathers consist of two outermost lyre-shaped feathers, two broader guard feathers, and 12 fine filamentary feathers. Females are smaller and lack the pronounced tail features of the males.

Diet: These birds are omnivorous, feeding mainly on the forest floor. Their diet consists of invertebrates like insects, spiders, and worms, as well as seeds and small fruits.

Reproduction: Males construct and maintain impressive mounds of earth and debris, called display platforms, which they use to perform their elaborate song and dance routines. Their mimicry talent is showcased during these displays, as they imitate chainsaws, camera shutters, car alarms, and even other bird species. Females are lured by the quality of these performances.

The Herring Gull is a familiar sight along coasts and inland waters, known for its characteristic calls and widespread presence.

Appearance: Herring Gulls are predominantly white with gray wings and a distinct black band at the tip of each wing. Their eyes are pale yellow, complemented by a yellow bill that sports a notable red dot on the lower mandible.

Diet: These gulls are true opportunists when it comes to feeding. They enjoy a diet that spans from fish and marine invertebrates to insects and discarded human food. Their renowned scavenging habits are evident in public areas, making them a common sight at beaches, parks, and dumps.

Reproduction: Preferring to form nesting colonies, Herring Gulls establish their homes on the ground or atop sea-facing cliffs. Their nests, simple yet functional, are constructed from grass, twigs, and other available materials. A female typically lays a clutch of 2 to 4 eggs.

The European Starling is a highly adaptable bird, recognized for its iridescent plumage and uncanny ability to mimic a variety of sounds, from other birds to mechanical noises.

Appearance: European Starlings showcase glossy black feathers with a purple or green sheen, especially prominent during the breeding season. Their winter plumage is speckled with white dots. Both males and females have a similar appearance, but juveniles are gray-brown overall until their first winter.

Diet: These birds are omnivorous, consuming a wide range of foods. Their diet includes insects, seeds, fruits, and occasionally even small vertebrates. European Starlings are known to forage in groups, often seen probing the ground with their strong, pointed bills.

Reproduction: European Starlings are cavity nesters, selecting sites such as holes in trees, buildings, or other structures. After a courtship display that involves singing and wing-flapping, the female lays a clutch of about 4 to 6 eggs

The Pied Currawong is a prominent bird native to eastern Australia, recognizable for its melodic calls and contrasting plumage.

Appearance: The Pied Currawong has a predominantly glossy black plumage, with noticeable white patches on the underparts, the base of the tail, and the tips of the wing feathers. Its bright yellow eyes add to its striking appearance.

Diet: These birds are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of foods. Their diet mainly consists of fruits, insects, and small vertebrates, including small birds and their chicks.

Reproduction: Pied Currawongs are known to nest in tall trees. The female typically lays a clutch of 3 to 4 eggs, which are incubated for around three weeks. The young are then cared for by both parents.