Bird a Day: Blue Grosbeak

Today's bird a day is one of my favorite birds, the Blue Grosbeak.  This male was singing from his perch, announcing his return to his breeding territory and also trying to attract a mate.  You will find these birds along forest edges, fields, and riparian areas.  This male was singing from a willow along a creek. 

This species is sexually dimorphic, meaning the males and females look different.  The female looks much different from the bright male above.  She is a drab brown color with a hint of a yellow wash and a blue tint on the edges of her wings.  Blue Grosbeak males are bright blue with a chestnut wing patch.  They have large bills they use to crack seeds and snatch big meaty grasshoppers.  They are larger in size than the similar Indigo Bunting.  One way to remember them is that they look like blue cardinals without the crest.

Posted in: Blue Grosbeak