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Blue Grosbeak ??? in Tucson (1 Viewer)

PumaMan

Well-known member
United States
I glanced out the window today and I think I saw a Blue Grosbeak. It looked almost black -- in fact I went searching for a black bird in my books and online. Can they be so dark blue that they appear black? It had very dark red lines out toward the end of its wings. (No -- not a Red-Winged Blackbird).

Sorry, no picture. I know that makes this almost impossible but I was just curious if any other Tucsonan (or southern AZ resident) has ever seen a Blue Grosbeak?
 
They actually do not have blue pigment in their feathers – the blue color results from the way the feathers reflect the light. That is why they can look black in the shade.

Fairly regular in your area in spring and summer if you check eBird.
 
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I'm not a serious birder. The only list I keep is this "yard" list of birds that I've seen on (or above) my 2-acres of natural Sonoran Desert for the last 19 years. But now I've seen two new birds in the last week: A pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves and this Blue Grosbeak. A minor excitement.

Black-headed Grosbeak (Summer)
Blue Grosbeak (Summer)
Bronzed Cowbird (Summer)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Summer)
Cactus Wren
Canyon Towhee
Cooper's Hawk
Crow/Raven
Curve-billed Thrasher
Desert Cardinal (Pyrrhuloxia)
Desert (Black-throated) Sparrow
Eurasian Collared-Dove (mid-May)
Gambel's Quail
Gila Woodpecker
Greater Roadrunner
Great Horned Owl
Great-tailed Grackle (Summer)
Harris's Hawk
Hooded Oriole (Summer)
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
Lesser Nighthawk (Summer)
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Phainopepla
Red-winged Blackbird (Summer)
Rock Pigeon (Rock Dove)
Starling
Turkey Vulture
Verdin
White-throated Sparrow (Winter)
White-winged Dove (Summer)

(This list does not contain Hummingbirds, which I also feed daily. There are about a dozen all-year residents -- 2-3 different species.)
 
I've had Blue Grosbeaks in my yard here in the Sierra Vista - Bisbee area for years. Definitely a nice yard bird to have.
 
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