The brightly colored finches include Blue Grosbeaks. The male’s bright blue color helps him stand out to females and intimidate his territorial opponents, while their strong beaks enable them to open even the hardest of seeds. This brilliant bluebird is a delight to see and can be found in the southern United States throughout the spring and summer. Keep reading to discover more about Blue Grosbeaks, including why they’re so interesting!
11 FACTS ABOUT BLUE GROSBEAKS
1. BLUE GROSBEAKS’ CLOSEST RELATIVE IS THE LAZULI BUNTING.
Their ranges seldom overlap, so you’re unlikely to see them together. The Lazuli Bunting dominates the west, while the Blue Grosbeak dominates the south. Both buntings, on the other hand, are a vivid blue color that is unusual in the animal kingdom.
They stand out among other songbirds due to their coloring.
2. MALES AND FEMALES LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.
The bright lapis-lazuli blue is only found in the male Blue Grosbeak. Females have dusky gray wings and a hint of blue feathers on their cheeks.
Males, on the other hand, have a dark blue coloration all over. Dark wings, a black tail, and two chestnut brown wing bars Around their beak, a small black feather mask.
3. IN THE UNITED STATES, BLUE GROSBEAKS ARE EASIER TO FIND IN THE LATE SUMMER.
Migratory birds, Blue Grosbeaks Throughout the winter, they spend time in Central America, the Caribbean, and southern Mexico, then through the summer they spend time in northern Mexico and the southern half of the US. Several songbirds follow this trend. Their timing, on the other hand, is uncommon.
These lively blue birds return to the United States later than their counterparts. As a result, even after other shrub-native songbirds have stopped singing, you may hear a male Blue Grosbeak in July.
4. SOME BLUE GROSBEAK MATED PAIRS RAISE TWO BROODS OF NESTLINGS IN A SINGLE YEAR.
Blue Grosbeak nesters are swift and efficient. Despite the fact that their breeding season starts late in the summer rather than early in the spring, they can produce two broods of nestlings before heading south. According to experts, these monogamous birds are
They collaborate to keep their area safe. A single mated pair may cover an area of up to 20 acres!
5. YOU CAN SPOT THEM IN MOST OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES AND CENTRAL AMERICA.
Blue Grosbeaks may be found in the open woodlands of the southern United States, where they love to hide in bushes and scrub. They breed, nest, and raise their children here throughout the late spring and summer. They migrate south when the weather gets cold.
Mexico, Central America, and a few Caribbean islands are where he spends the winter and fall. Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti are among the islands where they’re widespread.
6. BLUE GROSBEAKS LOVE TO EAT CRICKETS AND GRASSHOPPERS.
They enjoy crunchy invertebrates, such as grasshoppers and crickets, as their favorite foods. In addition, beetles, caterpillars, cicadas, and other insects are listed. They pursue their prey in a variety of ways. Others collect insects while perched, while others crawl along a branch. On the ground, they forage as well.
They also consume grass and wild grains seeds, which are commonly found near the border of the woodland environments they prefer. Wheat, oats, alfalfa, and corn are among the crops affected.
7. FEMALE BLUE GROSBEAKS BUILD THEIR NESTS OUT OF MANY DIFFERENT MATERIALS.
Blue Grosbeaks use whatever they can get their beak on to construct their nest. Together with the more natural building materials of bark, twigs, roots, dead leaves, and grasses, thanks to human influence, it includes bits of string, newspaper, and cellophane.
She constructs her nest in denseets of vegetation that are secluded but near enough to open spaces that bringing food back to her nestlings will not take too long.
8. COWBIRDS OFTEN LAY THEIR EGGS IN BLUE GROSBEAKS’ NESTS.
Unfortunately, nest parasitism is common among Blue Grosbeaks. A bird will place her egg in the nest of a different species during this process. The most common perpetrator is the cowbird. The average size of the interloping egg is bigger than the others. It hatches first, then throws the other eggs out of the nest.
One explanation for the Blue Grosbeak’s multiple broods each year may be high rates of nest parasitism. The chicks that have been lost to interlopers may be replaced.
9. BLUE GROSBEAKS AVOID SUBURBAN AREAS BUT LOVE ABANDONED AGRICULTURAL AREAS.
Blue Grosbeaks stake their claim and breed in locations with less humans during the breeding season. Certain man-made features, such as power outages and fallow agricultural land, have worked out in their favor. The edge between forest and open scrub is where these birds thrive.
Development projects, on the other hand, aren’t always beneficial. Blue Grosbeaks avoid suburban areas and backyards that other finches are comfortable with, although it’s not fully understood.
If it’s far from human activity, they may visit the outskirts if you have a very vast backyard. Bluebird nest boxes can be found in some of the pairs.
10. MALES PERCH ON FENCEPOSTS AND WIRES TO SING THEIR SONGS IN THE MORNING HOURS.
Because of their tendency to sing in obvious and easy-to-spot locations, Blue Grosbeaks males stand out easily within their environment. Since most other songbird species’ males have finished displaying and singing by late summer, they are particularly simple to locate.
Keep an ear out for this songbird if you’re near a fence line or telephone pole in their habitat.
11. THEY CAN LIVE TO BE OVER 10 YEARS OLD.
These bright birds seem to have a long lifespan. Populations are expanding northward as forest clearance proceeds. If you’re lucky enough to see one, it’s likely that you’ll be able to spot the same Blue Grosbeak year after year.
They’re responding to the changing environment in a positive way. They would preserve nearly 90% of their range and gain 15% more in the next century, even as some of their southernmost range might vanish.