Small Blue Bird Black and White Stripes on Its Head

Did you see a BLUE bird in the United States?

If so, I'm sure you're wondering what type of bird it was! Luckily, you can use the guide below to help you figure it out.

And let me clarify, "When I say blue birds, I mean birds that are partly or entirely blue." Surprisingly, there are 21 blue birds in the United States that we will be looking at in this guide.

I have included information on males and females of each species. But please note that MOST male species are bluer than females. Sometimes the female is more moderately blue, or a different color entirely.

To learn more about other birds that live near you, check out these guides!

• The 27 MOST Common Birds Found in the United States!

• 25 Red Birds in the United States! (26 COMMON Species)

There are 21 birds in the United States that are considered "blue."

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#1. Blue Jay

• Cyanocitta cristata

Identifying Characteristics:

• Backs are covered in beautiful blue feathers with black bars throughout. Underparts are white.
• Their head is surrounded by a black necklace that has a blue crest on top.
• Males and females look the same.

Some people dislike Blue Jays, but I love their bold personalities. Their high intelligence makes these birds interesting to observe, not to mention their plumage is stunning.

Blue Jay Range Map

Typically, they visit feeders noisily, fitting as much food as possible in their throat sacks, and then leaving quickly to cache their bounty. My favorite foods to use are whole peanuts, as Blue Jays are one of the only birds that can crack open the shells to access the inside! You can also use sunflower seeds and corn to attract them.

• RELATED: How To Attract Blue Jays (4 Simple Strategies)

These birds are also excellent mimics and frequently imitate hawks. They are so good it's hard to tell the difference between which bird is present. It's thought that jays do this to deceive other birds into believing a hawk is present. Not a bad plan if you want to get a bird feeder all to yourself!

Blue Jays are one of the noisier birds in the United States you will hear.

The most common vocalization that I hear is their alarm call, which sounds like it's saying "jeer.

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#2. Barn Swallow

• Hirundo rustica

Identifying Characteristics:

• Small bird with a flat head, thin bill, pointed wings, thick neck, and fork-like tail.
• Both sexes are similar striking metallic blue, rusty brown underparts, rufous colored forehead, and throat. White spots on the tail are typically visible during flight. Females are as bold in colors.

These blue birds are typically found in the United States in open fields, meadows, pond marshes, or coastal waters.

Barn Swallow Range Map

Barn Swallows prefer to eat larger insects rather than eating groups of smaller ones. They primarily feed close to water or the ground catching insects in mid-air.

This blue bird doesn't typically ever come to bird feeders. But you may get lucky if you leave out eggshells or oyster shells on a platform feeder. T hese foods aid in their digestion.

One interesting fact about Barn Swallows is sometimes, an unmated male will kill young birds in a nest to break up the parenting Barn Swallow couple. Then the unmated male gets together with the female.

Both males and females sing a song of warbling notes and mechanical sounds. Listen below.

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#3. Cliff Swallow

• Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Identifying Characteristics:

• Small head, rounded body, and square tail.
• Both sexes look similar with dark blue on backs and crowns, rust-colored faces, dark wings, orangeish rump, and white underparts.
• Whiteish tan mark above bill, which sometimes is brown.

If you see a flock of birds that are blue in the United States , it may be a bunch of Cliff Swallows!

These social birds are found in large flocks, often around in various habitats. They prefer grasslands, towns, and river edges but are many times seen around bridges. They also like to stay away from forests and deserts.

Cliff Swallow Range Map

This species typically builds mud nests on cliffs. But now, because of so many manmade structures, they also make their nest under bridges and overpasses.

The Cliff Swallow primarily forages for food in the air during the day in flocks up to over 1,000 individuals.

Cliff swallows songs are odd sounding with grinding sounds and squeaks. It kind of sounds like if someone was twisty a balloon and trying to make a balloon animal. Listen below.

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#4. Belted Kingfisher

• Megaceryle alcyon

Identifying Characteristics:

• Both sexes are bluish-gray with white around the neck and underparts. Long mohawk feathered crown with a long bill.
• Females are blue-gray and white and have more bright colors than the males. Females also have a rust-colored on belly.
• Males are blue-gray with a white band on their neck and a blue-gray band on their breast.

This species gets the award for being one of the coolest-looking birds that are blue in the United States. Its distinct high crown feathers and large long bill on its tiny body should help you easily identify them.

Belted Kingfishers are found in water habitats almost everywhere.

Fortunately, you can attract them to your backyard if you have a pond or goldfish pool.

Belted King Fisher Range Map

You will find the Belted Kingfisher near the edges of water like lakes, rivers, or ponds. From here, they hunt their prey by diving from their perch to get fish from the water.

These birds don't have a song but give mechanical rattles as calls, often even for the slightest thing. If frightened, they have been known to let out a scream. Listen below to their call.

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#5. Indigo Bunting

• Passerina cyanea

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males are completely blue with streaked wings and silver bill.
• Females are brownish with a streaked white breast. Only a little bit of blue on wings, tail, or rump.

Indigo Buntings are stunningly beautiful blue birds in the United States. No wonder they are known as the Blue Canary.

Indigo Bunting Range Map

In summer, look for this species in open woodlands like edges of woods or forests. They may also be along roads or water sources. In winter, they are more likely in grasslands, lawns, shrubs, and trees.

Luckily, you can attract these blue beauties to your backyard with nyjer thistle seed. They like insects, so you could also try live mealworms.

Surprisingly, this bird migrates at night by following the stars. This is because they  possess an internal clock that helps them adjust their angle to the star's orientation in the sky.

Male Indigo Buntings sing over 200 songs in an hour at dawn. Listen below to their high-pitched notes that are sharp but clear.

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#6. Purple Martin

• Progne subis

Identifying Characteristics:

• Larger swallow, with a slightly hooked bill, long tapered wings, and short forked tails.
• Males are a deep blueish purple with brownish-black wings and tails.
• Females are duller in color, white belly, and gray on the head and chest.

You are probably thinking, "Why is a Purple Martin in an article about blue birds?"

Good question.

It is because they are primarily more blue than purple!

This bird's habitat is broad, and they prefer an open area as long as it is by a lake or pond.

Purple Martin Range Map

Purple Martins prefer to eat insects year-round and are extremely fast flyers. They glide and make big circles in the air as they catch prey. They can fly as high as 500 feet in the air.

To attract these species try putting out a Purple Martin birdhouse during the breeding season. You should make sure it has a guard to protect the eggs from predators. This species enjoys eating broken eggshells, which helps their digestion.

Both sexes sing songs. The male songs are a deep gurgling warbler "tee, tee, tee." Female songs are more joyful.

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#7. Tree Swallow

• Tachycineta bicolor

Identifying Characteristics:

• Small bird with a tiny bill.
• Males are greenish-blue on upperparts, long and pointy black wings, and white on the belly.
• Females are not as bright in color and brown upper parts.

You will typically find Tree Swallows by bodies of water in shorelines, marshes, or fields, where they breed and can find tons of insects to feed on. This species will even bathe by flying over the water, skimming their bodies on the surface, and shaking off the droplets.

Tree Swallow Range Map

This blue bird prefers to eat insects, but they visit backyards with fruit shrubs, such as Mayberry.

After breeding season, Tree Swallows gather in large groups up to hundreds of thousands to migrate and molt.

Both males and females sing a cheerful but shrill song. Listen below.

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#8. Little Blue Heron

• Egretta caerulea

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults have a slate-gray body and a purple-maroon head and neck.
• Juveniles during their first year, these herons are entirely white!
• Look for a two-toned bill, regardless of the bird's age, which is gray with a black tip.

Little Blue Herons are blue wading birds in the United States found in shallow wetlands.

They are patient hunters and will stay motionless for long periods, waiting for prey to pass by them. While waiting, they keep their daggerlike bill pointed downwards to be prepared for the moment a fish, amphibian, insect, or crustacean appears.

Little Blue Heron Range Map

As you can see above, juvenile Little Blue Herons look entirely different than adults! It's thought that these birds adapted this white plumage to be tolerated by Snowy Egrets, who catch more fish. Hanging out with large flocks of white herons also probably helps with avoiding predators. 🙂

Little Blue Herons are mostly silent, but it is possible to hear them squeaking when alarmed. They also emit various screams and croaks while nesting at a colony.

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#9. Blue Grosbeak

• Passerina caerulea

Identifying Characteristics:

• Stocky grosbeak with a vast, triangular bill.
• Males are deep, rich blue birds with a small black mask in front of the eyes, chestnut wing bars, and a black and silver beak.
• Females are primarily cinnamon-brown. The color is richer on the head, paler on the underparts; their tails are bluish.

These blue birds will visit bird feeders in the United States that offer sunflower seeds. To help them feel more protected, place your feeding station near shrubs and other brushes. You'll typically hear them singing before you see them.

Blue Grosbeaks Range Map

Blue Grosbeaks are very shy, especially around humans, which makes them challenging to observe. Interestingly, both males and females have a weird habit of twitching their tails sideways, although the reason for this behavior is unknown.

Blue Grosbeaks have also been known to "sidle," where they walk sideways along branches, as seen in parrots.

Listen below as the male Blue Grosbeak sings a musical warble that lasts for 2 or 3 seconds.

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#10. Black-throated Blue Warbler

• Setophaga caerulescens

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males are larger warblers with a small bill—deep blue on upper parts and white underneath, with a black face and throat.
• Females are greenish-gray all over; some have tints of blue on their wings or tail feathers.
• Both sexes have a white square patch on their wings, which will help to identify them.

This blue bird (males only) is found in the eastern United States, and in the winters, they migrate south to the Caribbean. And who wouldn't want to do that!

Black-throated Warbler

You will typically find Black-throated Blue Warblers in the forests foraging on low twigs looking for spiders or caterpillars.

Males sing to defend their territory and chase off other males. The songs are thick rising notes. Listen below.

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#11. Eastern Bluebird

• Sialia sialis

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males are vibrant blue with a rusty chest and throat, which makes them relatively easy to identify.
• Females look similar, but the colors are more subdued.

Few birds are as pretty as an Eastern Bluebird. Thanks to their cheerful disposition and amazing beauty, these birds are always a pleasure to see, both for birders and non-birders alike!

• LEARN MORE: 6 Proven Ways To Attract Bluebirds to Your Backyard!

These bluebirds are common in the United States and are found in open areas. Look for them in meadows, fields, cemeteries, golf courses, parks, backyards, and even Christmas tree farms!

Eastern Bluebird Range Map

The primary diet of these birds changes with the seasons. During warmer months, insects caught on the ground are their primary source of nutrition, such as beetles, crickets, and spiders. However, when bugs go away in winter, their diet switches to fruit and berries found on trees.

Related Article:

• LEARN MORE: The Best Bluebird Feeders! (5 affordable options)

These birds have a beautiful call. Listen for a liquid-sounding warbling song that consists of 1—3 notes, which is typically given several times in a row. You can also listen to Eastern Bluebirds by pressing play below!

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#12. Cerulean Warbler

• Setophaga cerulea

Identifying Characteristics:

• Small warbler, with a small bill, and sits in a horizontal position.
• Males are sky blue with a white belly and black streaks all over.  The wing has 2 white lines.
• Females are blueish-green and mostly yellow all over—faint white over the eye and two white stripes on the wings.

The female Cerulean Warbler is known to have an odd way of leaving the nest. Some call it bungee jumping. First, the female falls out the side of the nest with wings down at her side. Then once below a bit from the nest, she will begin to fly.

These blue birds breed in the eastern part of the United States, then migrate a long distance to South America.

Cerulean Warbler Range Map

Cerulean Warblers are hard to see! The reason for this is because they prefer the tops of the canopy WAY up in forests, where they forage for insects on the branches.

You have a better chance of hearing one before seeing. Listen for the males' buzzy song while searching for food in the trees.

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#13. Purple Gallinule

• Porphyrio martinica

Identifying Characteristics:

• Both sexes are medium size, deep blue on head and neck, back is green with iridescent multicolors on back, red bill with yellow on the tip, and light blue patch on the face.
• Long yellow legs.

Purple Gallinules are one of the most brightly colored birds that are blue in the United States!

This species is found in the southern United States in marshes near freshwater.

Purple Gallinule Range Map

They forage much like a chicken, walking slowly, pecking at vegetation in the water or fruits near the edge of the water.

These blue birds are fantastic swimmers, and they are good climbers because of their long toes.

Gallinules make cracking calls "kek, kek, kek." Listen below.

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#14. Mountain Bluebird

• Sialia currucoides

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males are covered with beautiful sky-blue feathers on their heads, back, and wings.
• Females are a bit trickier since they are primarily gray-brown, with tinges of blue on their tails and wings.

There are not many things more beautiful than seeing one of these bluebirds while hiking in the mountains. 🙂

In the western United States, look for Western Bluebirds in open areas. As their name suggests, Mountain Bluebirds are observed at elevations up to 12,500 feet during the breeding season. However, once winter arrives, they typically fly down to lower elevations.

Mountain Bluebird Range Map

Mountain Bluebirds feast on insects during warm months and switch their diet to primary berries in winter. But unlike other bluebird species, they are excellent aerial hunters and routinely grab insects out of midair!

Finding a suitable nesting location is crucial for female Mountain Bluebirds; they rarely care about anything else. She chooses her mate almost solely based on the quality of his nesting cavity, ignoring things like looks, singing skills, and flying ability!

Press PLAY! Next time you are in a mountain valley or meadow, keep your ears open and listen for a Mountain Bluebird!

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#15. Lazuli Bunting

• Passerina amoena

Identifying Characteristics:

• Small, stocky birds with cone-shaped bills.
• Males are a vivid sky blue on top with a white belly and orangish-brown breast. Wings are streaked and have a white marking on the shoulder.
• Females are grayish-brown on upperparts and tan underneath. Wings have a blueish tint to parts of them and two tan wing bars.

You will find these blue birds in the western United States. They prefer shrubbery-filled hillsides near water.

Lazuli Bunting Range Map

Lazuli Buntings spend most of their time foraging for spiders, caterpillars, or beetles on the ground or in low areas of shrubs or trees.

They are a regular visitor to backyard bird feeders and enjoy sunflower seeds, white proso millet, and nyjer seeds. Helpful Hint: if you provide native shrubs to provide foraging or nesting locations, you can increase the chances of seeing one.

Male Lazulis sing a fast high pitched song where they repeat the same notes. Listen below.

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#16. Steller's Jay

• Cyanocitta stelleri

Identifying Characteristics:

• Larger bird with a black head, rounded wings, and long tail. A tall black crest on the crown of the head helps identify them.
• Both sexes are half black, half blue on their wings, belly, and tail.

You will find the Steller's Jay in evergreen forests in the western United States. These bold birds, which are half blue, often visit parks, campgrounds, and picnic areas.

Steller's Jay Range Map

This jay is very intelligent, bold, and noisy. You can attract this species to your backyard feeders by providing peanuts or larger seeds and suet.

The Steller's Jays are often nest robbers. They have even been known to attack or kill small adult birds like nuthatches or juncos.

Males and sometimes females have calls that sound like "shaack, shaack, shaack," shooka, shooka." Listen below.

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#17. Painted Bunting

• Passerina ciris

Identifying Characteristics:

• Stocky bird with a short thick bill.
• Males look like a rainbow! They are blue primarily on the head.
• Females are bright yellowish-green with a cream-white eyering.

Painted Buntings look like they flew out of a painting because of their bright colors.

These birds, which have blue on their heads (males only), like somewhat open areas with scattered trees and shrubs. Typically, they eat mostly seeds, but in the breeding season, they will eat mostly insects.

Painted Bunting Range Map

Unfortunately, the Painted Bunting is often caught and sold as caged birds illegally in Mexico because of their beauty, affecting their breeding population.

Painted Bunting males sing a song loud and clear full of high-pitched musical notes. Listen below.

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#18. Pinyon Jay

• Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

Identifying Characteristics:

• Medium-sized jay with a long sharp bill. Looks sort of like a blue crow.
• Both sexes are several shades of blue and are duller on the belly.

Pinyon Jays are one of the noisier blue birds found in the United States!

These crestless jays are found in pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush, and pine trees in mountainous regions. This omnivorous species primarily eats pinyon-pine seeds but occasionally eats small animals, snakes, and lizards.

Pinyon Jay Range Map

Pinyon Jays can form large flocks, which number up to 500 birds that stay together while they breed and forage year-round.

These birds will come for a short visit to your bird feeders to enjoy some cracked corn, peanuts, sunflower seeds, or suet.

Pinyon Jays make an assortment of calls. Some are crow-like. Listen below.

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#19. Western Bluebird

• Sialia Mexicana

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males are vibrant blue with rusty chest. Blue throat and gray belly.
• Females look similar, but the colors are more subdued.

Look for thesebluebirds in the western United States at the edge of forests or open woodlands. Western Bluebirds are not often found in meadows and fields. Instead, these birds opt for the woods. Their favorite habitat seems to be areas that have been logged or burned, as these places are open but still contain many trees.

These bluebirds tend to stay close to the ground to fly down quickly to catch insects, which are their favorite food. They can usually be found perched on low limbs, signs, and fence posts. Western Bluebirds even stay low to the ground while flying!

Western Bluebird Range Map

This bluebird species only nests in enclosed cavities. Competition is high for these limited spots, and they regularly compete with nuthatches, House Wrens, European Starlings, House Sparrows, swallows, and even other Western Bluebirds.

You should try listening for Western Bluebirds next time you are out. These birds make a soft call, which phonetically often sounds like "kew" repeated several times. Press PLAY to hear a Western Bluebird!

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#20. Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

• Aphelocoma woodhouseii

Identifying Characteristics:

• Long bird with long tail and stout bill.
• Both sexes are light blue and gray on top, have a grayish belly, and a white throat.

You will find these mostly blue birds in the United States in woodlands of pine and juniper or dry shrublands.

Woodhouse Scrub-Jay Range Map

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays are known to stand on the backs of mule deer. They do this to help the mule deer by picking ticks and parasites and eating them. The mule deer don't mind and will stand still and put their ears up to assist in their efforts.

If you want to attract this species to your backyard feeders, you will provide sunflower seeds and peanuts. And if you have thick shrubbery or small trees, you may even be lucky enough to have a pair nest in your yard!

Males and females both sing light, pleasant songs lasting up to five minutes. Listen below.

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#21. California Scrub-Jay

• Aphelocoma californica

Identifying Characteristics:

• Medium-sized crestless jay.
• Both sexes have blue heads, wings, and tails. A white throat outlined with a blue necklace.

Do you think this bird looks similar to the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay?

If so, you would be correct.

These two species look alike and are often hard to distinguish. Before 2016, these two birds were under one name, the Western Scrub-Jay.

Here's how to tell them apart. The California Scrub-Jay has a blue outline around the white throat and a shorter bill. The Woodhouse Scrub-Jay has no blue outline mark on the throat and a longer bill.

These blue birds are found in the western United States in scrubland and oak woodlands.

California Scrub-Jay Range Map

This species primarily eat grains, fruits, frogs, lizards, and, unfortunately, eggs and young of other birds.

You can attract California Scrub-Jays with sunflower seeds and peanuts. If you are lucky and have them come for a quick meal, you will enjoy watching them because they are very vocal and playful birds.

Males and females sing a soft mix of notes. Listen below.

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Do you need additional help identifying a blue bird you have seen?

If so, this field guide should be able to help you.

• National Geographic Field Guide to Birds

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Which of these blue birds have you seen before in the United States?

Leave a comment below!

The range maps above were generously shared with permission from The Birds of the World, published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I use their site often to learn new information about birds.

gagnonduess1981.blogspot.com

Source: https://birdwatchinghq.com/blue-birds-in-the-united-states/

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