Did you recently see a small blue bird that you’re struggling to identify? North America is home to dozens of regularly occurring species that could be considered small blue birds, so discovering the exact species that you observed can be difficult.
Luckily, all of the small blue bird species that can be found in the United States will be covered in this article. I will preview all small blue bird species that are less than a foot long. Additionally, all of the bird species will be at least ⅓ blue. Let’s take a look:
Table of Contents
8 Small Blue Bird Species In America
Thrushes/Bluebirds
Bird species such as the American Robin belong to the thrush family, but did you know that bluebirds are also part of the thrush family? Smaller than their robin relatives, there are three bluebird species that are readily found in North America. Let’s take a look at these little blue birds.
Eastern Bluebird
If you live in eastern North America and you spotted a small blue bird with an orange underside, there is a good chance that you observed an Eastern Bluebird.
Eastern Bluebirds are plump thrushes that are 7 inches long on average. They are beautiful blue colored birds, as males have blue heads, necks, backs, wings, and tails. Females and juvenile birds have blue wings and tails.
If you’re lucky, you may be able to attract an Eastern Bluebird to your backyard. These birds do not consume seeds as other backyard birds do, but they may stop by bird feeders that offer treats such as mealworms, as insects make up a large part of bluebird diets.
Eastern Bluebirds can also be attracted to your backyard if you offer a birdbath. This species especially loves backyards that offer heated birdbaths, as water can be difficult to find during the winter months.
This small blue bird with white belly is famous for its willingness to raise its young in birdhouses. If you live in a fairly open area, you may want to try to establish a few birdhouses and see if you can prompt an Eastern Bluebird pair to take up residence in one of them.
Western Bluebird
Very similar to the Eastern Bluebird, Western Bluebirds do not overlap with their eastern cousins in the United States, but they can be found living among one another in Mexico.
Barely smaller than Eastern Bluebirds, Western Bluebird males are an even richer color of blue than their eastern counterparts. A blue small bird with lots of orange coloration, females and juveniles have blue on the wings and tails.
Western Bluebirds are also among the blue colored birds that can be attracted to a backyard. Like any thrush, they enjoy eating both insects and berries, so bird feeders that offer mealworms or dried fruit could be popular with this species.
Whereas Eastern Bluebirds are rarely found in forest habitats, Western Bluebirds may be found in small clearings in both deciduous and coniferous forests in western states like California. Anywhere with a small tract of open habitat and cavities to nest in could attract this small bright blue bird.
If you want to get a close look at these small blue birds, try putting up some birdhouses in your backyard or a bird bath in your backyard.
Mountain Bluebird
Mountain Bluebirds can be found primarily west of the Great Plains as their range extends through Canada and up to Alaska in the summer. Indeed, Mountain Bluebirds rarely venture further east than Central Texas.
A well-known small blue bird species, Mountain Bluebird males are varying shades of brilliant sky blue color. The females and juveniles do not have much blue, but a small amount can be seen on their wings and tails.
Mountain Bluebirds are probably the least likely of the three bluebird species to stop by a bird feeder, as this light blue bird species tends to be warier than its bluebird cousins. Nevertheless, they may be lured to a feeder with mealworms or dried fruit.
Like all bluebird species, Mountain Bluebirds love to nest in birdhouses. If you live in a fairly open area within their range, it would be a good idea to place birdhouses on your property to see if you can prompt this small turquoise bird to nest there.
Buntings/Grosbeaks
Buntings and grosbeaks are members of the Cardinalidae family, a group that includes cardinals, grosbeaks, tanagers, and buntings. Male birds within their family are much more colorful than females, and all birds within this family have fairly large bills. Five bunting species could be considered blue colored birds in North America.
Indigo Bunting
Common breeding birds in the American Southwest, the eastern United States, and southeastern Canada, Indigo Buntings are conspicuous, small dark blue bird species.
Rarely exceeding 5 inches long, male Indigo Buntings are a gorgeous species of small blue bird. Considering a male is a small all blue bird, they are quite different from the females and immature birds that are a dull brown color.
Male Indigo Buntings seek out prominent perches during the spring and summer months as they sing their melodic song to proclaim their territory. They often perch on exposed branches or at the tops of trees so they can be easily located.
Try looking for these tiny blue birds along forest edges or in fairly open areas with scattered trees. For those who want a closer look at an Indigo Bunting, this all blue bird may be attracted to a backyard.
Unfortunately for backyard birders, Indigo Buntings are not cavity nesters, so they will not use a birdhouse. Luckily, these birds may stop by a bird feeder that offers nyjer, sunflower seeds, or thistle.
Lazuli Bunting
Breeding west of the Great Plains into southwest Canada, the Lazuli Bunting blends in surprisingly well with its habitat despite the male’s colorful appearance.
The head, neck, and shoulders of a male Lazuli Bunting are light blue in color, while its chest is orange. Females and immatures would not be considered blue colored birds, as they are drab and devoid of blue.
Lazuli Buntings frequent shrubby habitats where males advertise their territory by singing their unique songs. It can be a challenge to pick out this small turquoise bird as it moves around its habitat, but patience will eventually reveal a look at a wonderful blue small bird.
Lazuli Buntings are a tad larger than Indigo Buntings, but they still do not exceed 6 inches in length. Many backyard birders would love to have a glimpse of one of these light blue bird species in their yard.
Thankfully, Lazuli Buntings may investigate bird feeders that provide them with small seeds like thistle, nyjer, or sunflower seeds.
Painted Bunting
Arguably the most dazzling of all blue colored birds, male Painted Buntings are a sight to behold.
Though males do not have extensive amounts of blue, I regard them as a small blue bird because blue covers the most prominent part of their body – the head. The rest of a male Painted Bunting’s body is green, yellow, and red. Female and immature birds are far from little blue birds, being an olive green color.
Though incredibly colorful, Painted Buntings are tiny blue birds that like to breed within dense thickets of shrubs and vegetation. Most people will hear these small blue birds singing before they ever get a chance to see them.
Anyone would be elated if they attracted a Painted Bunting to their yard. If you hope to accomplish this feat, offer small seeds for them to eat at your bird feeders.
Painted Buntings will feel most comfortable in yards that have plenty of trees and shrubs scattered throughout. This will put them at ease and help them to feel confident that they can hide if need be.
Varied Bunting
A very small blue bird that can be found in arid regions of Mexico and the southern United States. The Varied Bunting migrates north to Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona for the breeding season.
Male Varied Buntings are a spectacular mix of blue and red. If the blue and red coloration overlaps, these birds may appear purple in some areas. Females and immature birds are drab, tan-colored birds.
Scarcely more than five inches long, this tiny blue bird survives in thickets along streams, canyons, and other areas where such vegetation exists.
Backyard birders will have a difficult time coaxing a Varied Bunting onto their property. These small blue birds are shy, and it can be hard to offer the right mix of habitats on a property.
For those that live within the Varied Bunting’s, there are a few things you can do to attract these blue colored birds. Offering a water source such as a bird bath or small pond for this species could attract this species, but you will also want to try to set out small seeds at your bird feeder for this small blue bird.
Blue Grosbeak
Larger than their bunting relatives, the Blue Grosbeak is still a small dark blue bird, being only 6.3 inches long on the large end of the spectrum.
Male Blue Grosbeaks are a rich blue coloration. A male’s entire body is adorned in this gorgeous color save for its wings, which are a chestnut red color. Females and immature birds are a light brown color.
Blue Grosbeaks can readily be found in early successional habitats, meaning they like areas where young trees and shrubs are starting to grow back after a disturbance from something such as a fire.
Found throughout much of Mexico, the Great Plains, the Midwest, and the Southern United States, birders who wish to see these blue colored birds will have a good chance of seeing the males as they conspicuously sing.
There are few records of Blue Grosbeaks visiting backyards. This species is not keen on stopping by bird feeders as its other grosbeak relatives.