Which Animals Are White & Black?

Even in the varied, colorful animal world, some animals are simply, beautifully black and white. From tiny birds to large mammals, there are myriad animals that feature black and white coloring.

Birds

• Penguins are famous for their tuxedo-like coloring.

  The group of black and white birds includes the Clark's nutcracker, indigenous to the American West; the penguin, whose coloring makes it appear to be wearing a tuxedo; and two species of warbler, the blackpoll warbler and the black and white warbler. The famous bald eagle, the black-capped vireo, the bobolink and the white-throated sparrow are also black and white.

Familiar Animals

• Dalmatians are white with black spots.

  Look around - it's easy to see black and white animals in real life on a daily basis. Cows, for example, are frequently black and white. Skunks feature the tell-tale white stripe down their black backs that tells us to stay away or be sprayed. Dalmatians, a popular dog breed, are born all white but quickly take on all-over black spots. Piebald cats are colored black and white, often haphazardly and with fascinating results.

Large Cats and Bears

• Pandas are large black and white bears found in Asia.

  The snow leopard is white with black spots. The white tiger is white with black stripes. Almost exclusively, panda bears have white heads and backs, with black spots on the eyes, black ears, black front legs and black hind quarters. The koala bear, technically classified as a marsupial, is mostly light black with white patches on the ears and chest.

Other Animals

• The beautifully colored zebra is a well-known black and white animal.

  The zebra is probably the best-known black and white animal, but there are others too. The ruffed lemur and the arctic fox are two more members of the black and white club, as are the killer whale, some rodents, such as mice and guinea pigs, sheep, goats and the rice-paper butterfly.