20 Types of Birds That Are Blue In Colour

Mostly native to North America, blue Birds are one of the most exotic bird species that are generally associated with happiness in America and Europe. Also, the Mountain Bluebird is the bluest of all the bluebirds and is commonly found at higher elevations and latitudes in western North America. However, scientists believe that, unlike many other bird colors, blue is not a pigment but a color produced by the structure of the bird’s feathers. Finer the structure more will be the blue color. This is generally because of the bouncing of blue wavelengths together leaving the feathers to dazzle the eye of the beholder. So, here is a list of the top 20 types of birds that are blue.

Types of Birds That Are Blue

1. Blue Grosbeak

Blue Grosbeak is a Beefy, big-headed, large-billed bunting belonging to the family Cardinalidae. These are passerine, migratory birds most commonly seen in North and Central America. Adult male blue grosbeaks are entirely deep cobalt blue in color with rufous wing bars and Females are warm brown with rufous or buffy wing bars. Also, this bird species is very easy to identify because of its large, deep bill and double wing bars. Moreover, the blue grosbeak is a social bird often seen in groups and feeds mostly on insects, seeds, grains, and even wild macaws fruits.

Blue Grosbeak is a North American passerine bird that belongs to the family Cardinalidae. The bird species are migratory and spend their winter in Central America and breeding in northern Mexico and the southern United States. Both males and females have different appearances where the male is blue with two brown wing bars and the female species has blue feathers on the upper parts and two brown wing bars.

It has been formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 and given the name Loxia caerulea. Talking about the appearance, the male species is deep blue, with both black and brown on its wings. It can grow up to 14 to 19 cm (5.5 to 7.5 in) in length with a total wingspan of 26 to 29 cm (10 to 11 in). The varage wieght of the species is 26 to 31.5 g (0.92 to 1.11 oz).

Also Read: Top 7 Black Birds With Orange Wings

2. Blue and Black Tanager

Blue and Black Tanager are vibrantly colored blue and blackbird species found most commonly in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Blue and Black Tanager have a blue plumage, the lesser wing coverts and mask extending from the base of the bill through the eyes. However, it is interesting to note that males and females are almost identical. Also, It is one of the most exotic bird species that inhabits mainly subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forests. Also, this bird prefers to thrive in areas around lakes and rivers.

Blue and Black Tanager are bird species that belong to the family Thraupidae. The bird species were mostly seen in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It prefers to thrive in subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The lifespan is unknown in the wild, however, its closest relative is believed to have lived up to 12 years in human care and the second one silver-beaked tanagers has an average lifespan of 17 years. The primary diet includes fruit and nectar. It can grow up to 9 to 28 cm (3.5 to 11 in) with an average weight of 8.5 to 40 g (0.3 to 1.4 oz.).It prefers to thrive in areas around lakes and rivers.

Also Read: Top 5 Black Birds With Blue Head

Image Source: Francesco Veronesi

3. Blue Bunting

Found most commonly along with the coastal areas of Mexico and Central America, Blue Buntings are small, stocky, and brightly colored Birds. These birds are passerine birds inhabiting dense vegetation such as scrubby areas, thickets, and the undergrowth and edges of tall forests and Woodlands. Males are generally deep blue with black faces and milky blue fore-crown whereas females are uniformly brownish, with a reddish tinge to the belly. Also, Blue Bunting forages for food on the ground and in low vegetation such as thickets and brushes for seeds, insects, and larvae.

Also Read: 10 Extinct Birds In The World

4. Mexican Jay

Mexican Jay is a passerine bird with a blue head, blue wings, and tail. This large crestless Bird is most commonly found in the Woodlands of Western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona and is more similar to Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay. It is a social bird that lives in large groups and is typically found in flocks, sometimes up to a dozen or more individuals. Mexican Jay basically feeds on acorns, fruits, and carrion and prefers to habitat in the montane pine-oak forest.

Also Read: Top 10 Beautiful Orange and Black Birds

Image Source: Wikimedia

5. Indian Peafowl

Most commonly known as blue Peafowl, is a beautiful bird species native to South Asia. The term “peafowl” actually refers to the male, also called a peacock, and the female commonly called a peahen. This exotic bird is the national bird of India that inhabits deciduous forests, scrublands, and semi-desert grasslands.

Males are generally blue with glossy blue heads, adorned with a fan-shaped crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers. However, females have a greenish lower neck and light brown plumage. However, Peafowl generally forages through leaf litter on the ground for, fruit, berries, seeds, flowers, insects, reptiles, and small mammals.

6. Mountain bluebird

The Mountain bluebird is a medium-sized gregarious bird species. It is known to be the bluest of all bird species. Mountain bluebirds have brilliant blue backs, heads, and wings. Male Mountain Bluebirds are sky-blue, a bit darker on wings and tail and a bit paler below while female birds are mostly grey Brown with thin bills, dull blue wings, and grey crowns. Also, they are commonly found in open habitats across much of western North America and Northern Alaska perching in mountain meadows, in burned or cut-over areas.

Mountain Bluebird knew as the Arctic bluebird belongs to the family Turdidae. It can grow up to 15 to 20 CM in length with an average weight of 27 to 34 gms. The total wingspan of the bird species is 25 to 32 cm. The bird species is mostly seen in the mountainous districts of western North America. Mountain Bluebird is an omnivore with an average lifespan of 6 to 10 years in the wild.

The primary diet includes spiders, grasshoppers, flies and other insects, and small fruits. The closest relative of the bird species in eastern and western bluebirds. It was formally described by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein and given the name Motacilla s. Sylvia currucoides.

Also Read: Top 10 Birds Chirping At Night

7. Hyacinth Macaw

Popularly known as the largest parrot by the length in the world, Hyacinth Macaw is a bird species particularly native to Central and eastern South America. With a length of about 30 to 100 cm ( measured from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail), this is one of the most exotic bird species in the world. These bird species have entirely blue feathers and are commonly found in riverside tropical rainforests and palm swamps. Also, Hyacinth Macaw particularly feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetable parts. It is also one of the longest living animals in the world.

8. Blue Jay

Also native to North America, Blue Jay is a medium-sized passerine bird inhabiting all kinds of forests especially the ones with oak trees. Blue Jay has a distinctively blue crest, white face, blue wings, and a long tail. Moreover, male and female bird species of blue Jay are almost identical, male Birds being slightly larger. It is interesting to note that Blue Jays are well-known for their intelligence and complex social systems with tight family bonds and hence listed as one of the most popular birds in the world.

Blue Jays are one of the beautiful birds of Iowa listed in the family of crows. They are mostly seen in the Central and Eastern parts of North America and South Canada. These birds in Pennsylvania love to thrive in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests with close human settlements.

It can grow up to 9 to 12 inches in length with an average weight of 2.5 to 3.5 ounces of weight where male species are larger than females. Talking about its appearance, it has a blue-colored face along with wings and tail covered with white, black, and blue plumage. The average lifespan of bird species is 7 years in the wild and up to 26 years in captivity.

9. Indigo Bunting

Most popularly recognized by its brilliant blue plumage, Indigo bunting is a small, beautiful songbird measuring up to 13 cm in length. Indigo buntings have a dark blue crown with a purple tint. However, males display more vibrant blue plumage and females are typically Brown. Indigo bunting basically feeds on insects, larvae grains, and seeds and is commonly found in weedy fields and shrubby areas. Sometimes Indigo buntings are also known as “blue canaries”. Also, these birds are famous for their whistle bouncy songs heard in late spring and summer all over eastern North America. It is one of the types of birds that are blue in color.

Indigo Buntings is one of the beautiful birds that are blue that can grow up to a length of 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5.1 in) with a total wingspan of 18–23 cm (7.1–9.1 in). The avarage wieght of the bird is 14.5 g (0.51 oz).The bird species is closely related to the lazuli bunting and interbreeds. It prefers to thrive in open deciduous woods, second-growth woodland, and farmland. It primarily feeds on insects, seeds, and berries, including caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles, and grass seeds.

Image Source: Wikimedia

10. Belted Kingfisher

One of the types of birds that are blue, Belted Kingfisher is a medium-sized water Kingfisher found particularly in the Northern United States and Canada. Belted Kingfisher has a large head, bushy crest, and a large, black dagger-like bill. Also, they have blue-grey upperparts with grey legs.

Also, males possess a blue band across the white breast, and females have a blue and a chestnut band. With their top-heavy physique, energetic flight, and piercing rattle, these birds are commonly found near rivers and shorelines nest in burrows along earthen banks and feed entirely on aquatic prey.

Image Source: Wikimedia

11. Hyacinth macaws

Hyacinth macaws are a beautiful parrot species native to central and eastern South America. This is the largest species of parrot that is covered with bright blue plumage. Talking about the appearance, the bird species has a black eye, a yellow chin, a strongly hooked beak, and zygodactylous feet with 2 toes that point forward and two toes that point backward.

It can grow up to 100 cm (39 in) with an average weight of 1,550 to 1,600 g (3 to 3.5 lbs.)The primary diet includes seeds, fruits, nuts, and berries. The average lifespan of the bird species is 30 to 50 years or more in the wild. It loves to thrive in tall trees and palms of swamps, forests, and near rivers.

12. Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird is a small blue bird that belongs to the family of thrushes. As of now, 8 subspecies of bluebirds have been recognized that are native to North and Central America. The small colorful bird can grow up to 6.3 to 8.3 inches in length with an average weight of 0.9 to 1.2 ounces.

Talking about its appearance, it has a blue back, dark-colored tips of the wings along with a reddish-brown chest and white belly. Females look different with greyish bodies along with blue-tinged wings and orange-colored chests. The average lifespan of bird species is 6 years in the wild and up to 10 years in captivity. It is one of the most popular types of birds that are blue in color.

13. Western Bluebird

The western bluebird is one of the amazing birds that are blue mostly seen in North America. It was formally described by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1832. The bird species can grow up to 15 to 18 cm (5.9 to 7.1 in) in length and produce mating songs like “cheer,” “chur-chur,” and “chup.” It prefers to thrive in open conifer forests, scattered trees along with semi-open terrain, and deserts. The primary diet includes insects and berries along with grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, and ants.

14. Bluethroat

Bluethroat is a small passerine bird that belongs to the thrush family Turdidae. It can grow up to 13 to 14 cm in length and an adult one can weigh up to 17 gms. As of now, 300 different species of chats are known to humans and all thrushes come under the Turdidae family. The diet of the bird species includes small insects, caterpillars, spiders, and insect larvae but also takes seeds and berries. It is widely distributed along the regions of northern Europe and Asia from Scandinavia right across to the Russian Far East and south into China.

15. Barn Swallows

One of the types of birds that are blue, The Barn Swallow is a migratory bird that belongs to the group of songbirds. As of now, 6 species of bird are known to humans mostly seen in the regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. It loves to thrive in inhabits fields, meadows, and rural areas. It can grow upto 6.7 to 7.5 inches in length with an avarage wieght of 0.56 to 0.78 ounces.

The tail feathers can grow upto 0.79 to 2.76 inches long. The varage lifespan of the bird species is 11 years in the wild, however, they rarely live more than 4 years. The main predators of barn swallows are cats, hawks, gulls, and grackles. It used to go south during winters to avoid low temperatures and lack of food.

16. Lazuli Bunting

The lazuli bunting scientifically known as Passerina amoena is a North American songbird that is named after the gemstone lapis lazuli. It can grow upto 5.1-5.9 in with an avarage wieght of 0.5-0.6 oz. The total wingspan of the bird species is 8.7 in. The adult male species can be easily recognized by its bright blue head and back, however, the female species is its bright blue head and back. The avarage lifespan of the lazuli and bunting is 9 years in the wild.

Image Source: Wikimedia

17. Tree Swallow

Tree swallows are beautiful migratory birds popular as aerial insectivores bird because it feeds on insects while being airborne. These bird species can be seen in the regions of North America during spring, summer, and fall. It loves to thrive in the regions of fields or marshes near water bodies. Tree swallow preys on flies, beetles, and winged Ants. The natural predators of tree swallows are humans, raccoons, snakes, and rats. The avarage lifespan of bird species is 2.7 years and it goes maximum of 12 years.

Image Source: Wikimedia

18. California Scrub-Jay

The California scrub-jay scientifically known as Aphelocoma California is a species of scrub jay native to western North America. This is a medium-sized bird species that can grow upto a length of 27 to 31 cm and weighs around 80 g (2.8 oz). The total wingspan of thee species is 39 cm (15 in). California Scrub-Jay primarily feeds on small animals such as frogs and lizards. They have also seen eating grains, nuts, and berries. The avarage lifespan of California scrub-jays is approximately 9 years.

19. Black-Throated Blue Warbler

One of the types of birds that are blue in color, The black-throated blue warbler scientifically known as setophaga caerulescens is a small bird that belongs to the New World warbler family. The bird species was first described by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in the year 1789. The small bird species can grow upto 13 cm (5.1 in) in length and weighs about 8.4–12.4 gms. The total wingspan of the species ranges from 8.4–12.4 gms. The avarage lifespan of the black-throated blue warbler is 10 years in the wild.

Image Source: Wikimedia

20. American purple gallinule

The American purple gallinule scientifically known as Porphyrio martinicus and belongs to order Gruiformes, this order also contains cranes, rails, and crakes. It is also known as the yellow-legged gallinule. The medium size bird species can grow upto 26 to 37 cm in length and weigh around 141 to 305 gms. The bird species loves to thrive near freshwater, even during migration. American purple gallinule has a long lifespan and it is believed to live between 22 to 25 years in the wild. It is one of the types of birds that are blue in color.