BLUE GROSBEAK GALLERY
(Passerina cerulea)
The Blue Grosbeak returns to Texas by early May. It is a bird of semi-open habitats such as overgrown fields, riversides, woodland edges, and fencerows. They also visit seed feeders, which is where I saw and photographed the male pictured below (South Llano River State Park in Junction, Texas). The male Blue Grosbeak is an overall blue bird with 2 chestnut wing bars. It has black around the base of the bill. The female is overall brown with darker wings and tail, 2 tan wing bars, and a large gray-to-sliver bill.
I hope to see many more specimens of this beautiful bird, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy the pictures I took in 2018 at South Llano River State Park.
Blue Grosbeak “Cool Facts” From All About Birds…
- According to genetic evidence, the Lazuli Bunting is the Blue Grosbeak’s closest relative.
- In the southern part of the Blue Grosbeak’s breeding range, each mated pair may raise two broods of nestlings per year.
- Many Blue Grosbeaks migrate directly southward from their breeding areas to their wintering grounds. Western birds head over land and eastern birds cross the Gulf of Mexico. Migrating grosbeaks pass through the Caribbean Islands including Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Antilles, the Swan Islands, the Cayman Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
- Blue Grosbeaks breed along roads and open areas, building their nests low in small trees, shrubs, tangles of vines, or briars. At least one pair of grosbeaks has nested in a bluebird nest box.
- Blue Grosbeaks have expanded northward in the United States in the past century or two, possibly taking advantage of forest clearing.
- The oldest Blue Grosbeak on record was a male, and at least 7 years, 2 month old when he was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Virginia.