Cardinals, particularly the Northern Cardinal, are renowned for their vibrant red plumage, which is a defining characteristic of the species. If you are wondering if there are blue cardinals, the answer’s no–but there several blue birds that you might mistake for cardinals!
Indigo Bunting
The Indigo Bunting is a small bird with strikingly bright blue plumage. During the breeding season, the males are particularly vibrant, making them easy to spot.
They are often found in similar habitats as cardinals, such as edges of forests, fields, and along roadsides.
While they share the size and general shape with cardinals, Indigo Buntings are more uniformly blue, lacking the crest that cardinals have.
Blue Grosbeak
Another bird that could be mistaken for a “blue cardinal” is the Blue Grosbeak. These birds are larger than Indigo Buntings and have a deep blue coloration with brown wing bars.
Males during the breeding season are especially vibrant. Like cardinals, they have a thick, seed-cracking beak, but their overall blue color and lack of a cardinal-like crest distinguish them.
Eastern Bluebird
The Eastern Bluebird, while smaller and rounder than a cardinal, could be confused with a blue cardinal due to its vivid blue coloration.
These birds have a bright blue back and wings, with a rusty or orange breast.
They are commonly seen perched on wires or fences in open country, gardens, and orchards, hunting for insects.
Steller’s Jay
Steller’s Jay, primarily found in the western parts of North America, has striking blue and black plumage.
It’s larger than a cardinal and has a prominent crest, similar to a cardinal’s crest, but it is predominantly blue with black markings.
These birds are often found in forested areas, especially near coniferous trees.
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
The Blue Jay is another bird that could be mistaken for a blue cardinal due to its size and crest. Blue Jays are known for their bright blue, white, and black plumage and their noisy calls.
They are common in many types of forests as well as suburban and urban areas.
Scrub Jay
The Scrub Jay is another species that might be mistaken for a blue cardinal, particularly in the western and southwestern United States where they are commonly found. These jays are known for their striking blue and gray plumage, with no crest, setting them apart from cardinals. They are larger and more slender than cardinals and exhibit a more assertive and curious behavior.
Scrub Jays are highly adaptable and can be seen in scrub, pinyon-juniper woods, oak forests, and suburban areas. There are several types of scrub jays; here in the Texas Hill Country, we have Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay.
Their diet is varied, consisting of insects, seeds, and nuts, and they are known for their habit of burying acorns like a squirrel!
The bold blue coloring of the Scrub Jay, combined with its size and habitat, could lead to its misidentification as a “blue cardinal” by those unfamiliar with bird species. However, their distinct behavior, lack of a crest, and different vocalizations help distinguish them from cardinals.
While there is no bird species known as a “blue cardinal,” several blue-colored birds could be mistaken for one due to their size, shape, or habitat. Each of these birds, from the Indigo Bunting to the Blue Jay, has distinctive characteristics that set them apart, but their blue coloration often leads to comparisons with the idea of a blue cardinal. They may not be a blue cardinal, but they definitely add some color to your bird feeding area!
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