Only three species of true bluebirds exist in the United States: Eastern, Western, and Mountain Bluebird. Many birds are blue in color, but only they survive. The bright colors and pleasant songs of these cheery tiny birds have won the hearts of many people. We’ll talk about the three bluebird species in this article, as well as 10 birds that look a lot like bluebirds.
BIRDS SIMILAR TO BLUEBIRDS
First let’s talk a bit about bluebirds.
The Western Bluebird lives on the west coast and southwestern section of the United States, while the Eastern Bluebird resides in the eastern half. They have slight differences in color, but they look similar. Both have an orange rust-colored breast, and they’re both blue. The light orange color of the Mountain Bluebird differs from that of the other two, and its breast is a lighter blue color. They reside in the mountains of Colorado.
Our descriptions will concentrate on the bright colors of male birds, as males have more vivid colored plumage than females. Females have comparable colors, although their hues are much lighter than males. The black beaks of blues are tiny and thin, with black eyes.
Next, we’ll take a look at some birds that have bluebird-like hues or features.
1. BLUE JAY
Scientific name: Cyanocitta cristata
In the United States, bluebirds and the Blue Jay may be found in a variety of habitats. They are mostly found in the country’s eastern region. Like bluebirds, they have a blue back and a white belly, but the similarities end there.
Their size is the most apparent change. Blue jays are bigger than bluebirds, with a longer and slender physique than bluebirds. Bluebirds don’t have black markings or crests on their heads, whereas blue Jays do. Blue Jays are highly territorial and aggressive compared to bluebirds, who are members of the corvid family.
2. INDIGO BUNTING
Scientific name: Passerina cyanea
Because of its vivid indigo color, the Indigo Bunting is a tiny bird that may be confused with a Bluebird. The summer habitat of Indigo Buntings and Eastern Bluebirds is the same. Apart from their lovely hues of blue, the two birds have a significant distinction in breast color. The eastern Bluebird has an orange breast, while the Indigo Bunting has a blue one.
The Mountain bluebird is the most similar of them all. Despite the fact that they share some of their range, they are seldom seen in the same place. The wing of the Indigo bunting is black, and its beak is bigger than that of the mountain bluebird. Its belly is entirely blue, just like that of the latter species.
Because of its tiny size, the Indigo Bunting is dubbed “blue canary,” which is a nickname for a canary. In terms of size, the Bluebird is a little bigger. Females are considerably duller than bluebirds.
3. BLUE GROSBEAK
Scientific name: Passerina caerulea
Blue Grosbeaks, like Bluebirds, are brightly colored males that live in a wide range of eastern regions, but unlike Eastern Bluebirds, they live in the Southwest. Blue grosbeaks have a chunky beak, which may not be apparent from afar. You may notice the difference when you inspect the beak up close. The beak of the bluebird is significantly smaller and more delicate.
The body of the Blue Grosbeak is a uniform blue color. The orange chest and some white underparts of both Eastern and Western bluebirds. In comparison to the rest of its body, even the all-blue Mountain bluebird is a lighter shade of blue and features a lighter blue chest. The rusty brown bands on the Blue Grosbeak’s wings are another distinctive characteristic.
4. TREE SWALLOW
Scientific name: Tachycineta bicolor
A tree swallow’s blue back, white front, little beak, and squat head may appear to be similar to that of a bluebird from afar. Tree swallows, on the other hand, have a highly iridescent coloring that ranges from green to purple to blue depending on the lighting. They have no orange on their breasts, which are completely white. When the swallow is sitting perched, you’ll notice that they have black rather than blue wings and that they trail behind it even as it sits.
Except for the northernmost frozen tundra, Tree Swallows have a habitat that stretches across North America. Tree Swallows may be found in regions where there aren’t any trees, despite their name. They have a wide range of habitat preferences and are adaptable birds. They swoop and circle through meadows and fields, capturing insects as they fly, are aerial acrobats. They can be seen swooping and circling over meadows and fields.
They’re cavity nesters, and like bluebirds, they’ll utilize the same kind of nestboxes that bluebirds do.
5. LAZULI BUNTING
Scientific name: Passerina amoena
In terms of color and appearance, Lazuli Bunting is most similar to western Bluebirds. Bunting may be found in the same locations as western and mountain Bluebirds. The Lazuli Bunting’s pale orange breast contrasts with the western Bluebird’s in a way that is difficult to see.
The Lazuli Bunting’s wingtips are a bit darker in color than the rest of its body. The wings of Western and Mountain Bluebirds do not have deep black tips. This bunting has two white wingbars, whereas bluebirds lack them. With a bigger beak, the Lazuli Bunting is smaller in size.
6. STELLER’S JAY
Scientific name: Cyanocitta stelleri
Since they breed at greater heights, the majestic Steller’s Jay shares the Mountain bluebird’s Rocky Mountain territory. During the winter, they descend to lower altitudes. The Steller’s Jay is considerably darker than the bluebird, despite having a common blue black and tail.
The head and neck of this Jay are black, while the rest of its body is blue. Like their blue jay relatives, Steller’s Jay has a head crest. They, on the other hand, are substantially larger than the Bluebird.
7. CALIFORNIA SCRUB-JAY
Scientific name: Aphelocoma californica
The Pacific Coast version of the Blue Jay is the California Scrub-Jay. Dry shrublands and oak woodlands are where they prefer to live. Similar to the Bluebird, California Scrub-Jays are a vivid blue with white bellies.
Scrub-Jays, on the other hand, have a gray back with a distinct bright white under their chin and on their breast. The chest of Western Bluebirds is rusty orange, with a few exceptions. The jay’s body is rather different, with a considerably bigger beak and long, slender limbs and tail.
8. BELTED KINGFISHER
Scientific name: Megaceryle alcyon
Rivers, lakes, and beaches are home to the Belted Kingfisher. Bluebirds have blue, white, and orange feathers, while these birds have a variety of features that sets them apart.
The ragged head crest, straight, thick beak, and white bands on the neck and breast of a Belted Kingfisher make it easy to identify. On the chests of females, there is a little orange. Their appearance is also quite different. With huge heads and short tails, Belted Kingfishers are robust and stocky. Their beak, in particular, is a clear indication of their distinctiveness.
Kingfishers sit above water, staring intently at the water. They plunge their long, spear-like beak headfirst into the water as soon as one comes near and capture the fish with their beak.
9. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
Scientific name: Polioptila caerulea
With a long tail and a muscular body, the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is a tiny little bird. They have a light underbelly and are blueish-gray in color. Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers resemble Bluebirds in that they might have more blue than gray. The Gnatcatcher, on the other hand, has a light-colored underside devoid of orange or blue and a black tail with white edges that sets them apart from other birds.
Gnatcatchers have a broad range and low population numbers, despite sharing a lot of the southern habitat of the Bluebird. They’re constantly on the move, scouring the leaves for insects.
10. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
Scientific name: Setophaga saerulescens
The midnight blue color of the male Black-throated Blue Warbler’s back is matched by a black face and neck. Their belly is also white. Their black face distinguishes them from bluebirds, who have an orange breast. In comparison to bluebirds, these warblers are much smaller. They have a small straight beak and a stocky, fat body.
During the winter, Black-throated Blue Warblers go to the Caribbean and Central America, while throughout the rest of the year they breed in eastern North America.