A Guide to Identifying 46 Black and Blue Birds

Black and blue colored birds can be found across many different habitats around the world. While black is a very common color in birds, blue plumage is rarer and often indicates a striking and vibrant species. In this guide, we will look at 46 black and blue bird species and how to identify them.

What Makes Birds Blue?

Blue color in birds is produced by the refraction of light through feather structures and is often iridescent. It is most commonly caused by melanin pigments in the feather barbules that absorb certain wavelengths and reflect blue wavelengths back. The shade of blue can vary from deep royal blue to light sky blue depending on the species.

Some birds only display blue plumage during the breeding season Males will develop bright blue feathers for courtship displays and to attract a mate. The color is then lost when breeding ends Other birds retain their blue hues all year round.

Notable Black and Blue Birds

Here are some of the most vibrant and recognizable black and blue birds from around the world:

• Blue Jay – A common corvid across Eastern and Central North America It has bright royal blue wings and tail contrasting with its black forehead

• Indigo Bunting – A small seed-eating songbird. The male is a striking uniform blue during breeding season.

• Blue Grosbeak – A stocky songbird with a thick bill. The male is deep blue with black accents.

• Mountain Bluebird – A thrush named for its brilliant sky blue plumage. It lacks any orange tones unlike the Western Bluebird.

• Steller’s Jay – A crest bluejay of western North America. It has a black head that fades to blue on the back and wings.

• European Starling – An introduced species with oil-slick black plumage covered in iridescent purples and greens.

Identifying Black and Blue Birds

Here is more on identifying 46 different black and blue bird species from around the world:

1. Steller’s Jay

• Large crest jay at 34 cm long. Black-brown head fading to blue shoulders.
• Found in coniferous forests of the western US and Canada.

2. Common Grackle

• A large black icterid with glossy iridescence on the head. Pale yellow eyes.
• Seen in open areas and parks in the eastern US.

3. European Starling

• Medium sized songbird with black plumage coated in iridescent greens and purples.
• Introduced and now ubiquitous across North America.

4. Tree Swallow

• Dark iridescent blue back with clean white underside. Black forehead and wings.
• Abundant near water across most of North America.

5. Indigo Bunting

• Vibrant all blue breeding male with black wing bars. Brown in winter.
• Found in brushy areas and forest edges in the eastern US.

6. Purple Martin

• Large deep blue swallow. Iridescent black-blue back and wings.
• Seen near human habitation across North America.

7. Blue Jay

• Crested jay with lavender-blue wings, tail, back and white belly.
• Common in mixed forests and suburban areas of eastern NA.

8. Blue Grosbeak

• Chunky finch with massive bill. Male is deep blue with black accents.
• Found along scrubby margins in the southern half of the US.

9. Black-throated Blue Warbler

• Tiny insectivore with white belly and black face. Male has bright blue back.
• Breeds in eastern NA forests and winters in the Caribbean.

10. Purple Gallinule

• Medium rail with bright purple body, red frontal shield, and yellow legs.
• Seen in wetlands across the southeastern United States.

11. Yellow-billed Magpie

• A large black and white corvid with a yellow bill and facial markings.
• Endemic to California oak woodlands.

12. Great Frigatebird

• Huge seabird with mostly black plumage and some green iridescence on males.
• Found off both coasts of the Americas and on Pacific islands.

13. Great-tailed Grackle

• Large icterid with bronzy iridescence on black plumage. Very long tail.
• Seen near water across the southern US and Central America.

14. Varied Bunting

• Stout seed-eater with purple head and breast. Black wings and back.
• Breeds in Mexico and the desert southwest.

15. Red-legged Honeycreeper

• Small bird with bright turquoise crown. Black with vivid red legs.
• Found in tropical Central and South America.

16. Black-throated Magpie-Jay

• Long tailed jay with black head and throat. White crescents by eyes.
• Endemic to Mexico’s Pacific coast.

17. Black-billed Magpie

• Standard black and white corvid with long tail. Iridescent blue-green in wings.
• Seen across western North America.

18. Superb Fairywren

• Tiny Australian songbird. Male has electric blue head and back in breeding season.
• Found in scrubby vegetation across eastern Australia.

19. Oriental Magpie-Robin

• Asian songbird with long tail. Black hood, white shoulder patches and belly.
• Seen in forests and urban areas across southern Asia.

20. Australasian Swamphen

• Bulky waterbird with purple-blue plumage, red bill, and orange legs.
• Found in wetlands across Australia and New Zealand.

21. Purple Sunbird

• Tiny nectar feeder with curved beak. Male is mostly iridescent purple-blue.
• Seen in tropical southern Asia.

22. Dollarbird

• Medium sized roller with metallic blue throat. Black wings with pale blue spots.
• Found across Australasia.

23. Yucatan Jay

• Crestless jay with blue wings, tail, back and black head and underparts.
• Endemic to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

24. Red-billed Blue Magpie

• Asian corvid with red bill and facial skin. Black with blue spotted crown.
• Ranges across Southeast Asia.

25. Common House Martin

• Small swallow with blue head, back and collar. White rump and belly.
• Found widely across Eurasia and into North Africa.

26. Tui

• Chunky nectar feeder of New Zealand. mostly iridescent black with white throat tufts.
• Common in forest and suburbs.

27. Blue Rock Thrush

• Stocky chat with male’s blue-gray plumage and darker wings.
• Ranges across southern Europe and Asia.

28. Green Honeycreeper

• Small Central American songbird. Male is blue-green with black head.
• Found in tropical forests.

29. Purplish-backed Jay

• Florid blue jay with extensive purple back plumage. Black head and underparts.
• Endemic to Mexico’s dry forests.

30. San Blas Jay

• Mexican jay with blue wings, tail and black head and underparts.
• Lives in tropical dry forests.

31. Long-tailed Manakin

• Tiny rainforest bird. Male is jet black with bright red crown.
• Ranges across Central America.

32. Blue Dacnis

• Tiny tanager with electric turquoise male and green female.
• Seen in tropical forests from Mexico to Argentina.

33. Slaty-breasted Wood Rail

• Chicken-like swamp bird with slate gray head and underparts.
• Found in South American wetlands.

34. Plush-crested Jay

• Elegant blue Mexican jay with violet back and black head.
• Prefers dry deciduous woods.

35. Swallow Tanager

• Tiny songbird with turquoise blue male and green female.
• Ranges across northern South America.

36. Swallow-tailed Manakin

• Small rainforest bird where male is entirely iridescent blue.
• Endemic to coastal Brazil.

37. Woodland Kingfisher

• Medium kingfisher with bright blue back, wings and tail. White underside.
• Found across sub-Saharan Africa.

38. Shining Honeycreeper

• Small songbird of Central America. Male is vivid purple-blue.
• Seen in tropical forests.

39. Vulturine Guineafowl

• Large gamebird with round body. Blue face and neck cape.
• Native to East Africa.

40. Blue-and-black Tanager

• Medium songbird with male’s cobalt blue body and black wings.
• Found in South American cloud forests.

41. Blue-black Grassquit

• Male is glossy blue with white wing flashes. Female is brown.
• Ranges across Central and South America.

42. Diademed Tanager

• Bright blue songbird with black wings. Broad white crown stripe.
• Seen across southern South America.

43. Blackish-blue Seedeater

• Small finch with male’s dark blue plumage. Female is brown.
• Native to Brazil and surrounding countries.

44. Blackish Crake

• Plump marsh bird with slate gray head and underparts.
• Lives in South American wetlands.

45. Meves’s Starling

• African starling with vibrant iridescent purple and blue plumage.
• Found in south and east Africa.

46. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo

• Long tailed Asian cuckoo with bold white wing stripes.
• Summers across tropical Asia.

This covers 46 of the most vibrant, striking, and recognizable black and blue colored birds across the world. While black plumage is common, bright shades of blue are rarer and indicate a truly spectacular species. Whether seen locally or while traveling, these birds are sure to impress with their dramatic coloration. With the identification tips provided here, you can confidently ID any black and blue birds you encounter.