Michigan is a great state for bird watching, especially if you love blue birds. There are 15 types of blue birds that can be found in Michigan, ranging from the tiny blue-gray gnatcatcher to the majestic great blue heron. In this article, we will introduce you to these blue bird species and help you identify them by their appearance, behavior, habitat, and songs. We will also share some tips on how to attract blue birds to your backyard and how to support their conservation efforts. Let’s get started!
What Types of Blue Birds Found in Michigan?
The following are the 15 types of blue birds that you can see in Michigan, along with some photos and facts about each one.
1. Indigo Bunting
The indigo bunting is a small songbird that has brilliant blue plumage in the breeding season. The male is almost entirely blue, while the female is brown with some blue on the wings and tail. The indigo bunting prefers open habitats such as fields, meadows, edges, and roadsides, where it feeds on seeds, insects, and berries. It sings a cheerful and varied song that consists of short phrases repeated several times. The indigo bunting migrates to Central and South America in the winter.
2. Eastern Bluebird
The eastern bluebird is one of the most beloved blue bird species in Michigan. It has a bright blue back, a rusty red chest, and a white belly. The female is duller than the male, with more gray on the back and less red on the chest. The eastern bluebird inhabits open woodlands, orchards, farms, and suburban areas, where it nests in cavities or nest boxes. It feeds on insects, worms, fruits, and berries. It has a sweet and musical song that sounds like “chur-wi” or “tru-ly”.
3. Blue Jay
The blue jay is a large and noisy songbird that has a blue crest, a black necklace, and a white face. The back and wings are blue with black and white bars, and the belly is gray. The blue jay is a common and familiar bird in Michigan, where it lives in forests, parks, gardens, and towns. It feeds on nuts, seeds, fruits, insects, and sometimes eggs and nestlings of other birds. It has a loud and harsh call that sounds like “jay” or “jeer”, as well as a variety of other sounds and imitations.
4. Barn Swallow
The barn swallow is a graceful and agile flyer that has a dark blue back, a reddish brown throat and forehead, and a long forked tail. The female is similar to the male, but with a shorter tail and less red on the face. The barn swallow is a widespread and familiar bird in Michigan, where it nests in barns, bridges, and other structures. It feeds on flying insects, such as flies, mosquitoes, and beetles. It has a cheerful and twittering song that sounds like “pritt pritt pritt”.
5. Black-throated Blue Warbler
The black-throated blue warbler is a small and colorful songbird that has a black face, throat, and flanks, a blue back, and a white belly. The female is olive-green above and yellowish below, with a white patch on the wing. The black-throated blue warbler breeds in deciduous and mixed forests, where it feeds on insects, spiders, and berries. It sings a buzzy and rising song that sounds like “zoo-zee zoo-zoo-zee”. The black-throated blue warbler migrates to the Caribbean and Central America in the winter.
6. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
The blue-gray gnatcatcher is a tiny and active songbird that has a blue-gray back, a white eye ring, and a long black tail with white edges. The female is similar to the male, but with less black on the tail. The blue-gray gnatcatcher inhabits woodlands, thickets, and shrubby areas, where it feeds on insects, spiders, and small fruits. It has a high-pitched and squeaky song that sounds like “spee spee spee” or “zhee zhee zhee”. The blue-gray gnatcatcher migrates to the southern U.S. and Mexico in the winter.
7. Cerulean Warbler: The Michigan Bird
The cerulean warbler is a small and striking songbird that has a sky-blue back, a white belly, and black streaks on the sides. The male has a black necklace and a black stripe on the wing, while the female has a bluish-green back and a yellowish throat. The cerulean warbler breeds in mature deciduous forests, where it feeds on insects and spiders. It sings a rapid and buzzy song that sounds like “zee zee zee zee zee zee zee”. The cerulean warbler is a rare and endangered bird in Michigan, where it is considered a state speciality. It migrates to South America in the winter.
8. Tree Swallow
The tree swallow is a sleek and glossy songbird that has a metallic blue-green back, a white belly, and a slightly forked tail. The female is duller than the male, with more brown on the back and less green. The tree swallow is a common and widespread bird in Michigan, where it nests in cavities or nest boxes near water. It feeds on flying insects, such as flies, bees, and wasps, as well as seeds and berries. It has a liquid and musical song that sounds like “chee chee chee” or “wee wee wee”.
9. Purple Martin
The purple martin is the largest and most social of the swallows. It has a dark purple-blue back, a black head, and a slightly forked tail. The female is lighter than the male, with a gray chest and a brownish back. The purple martin lives in colonies, where it nests in artificial houses or gourds. It feeds on flying insects, such as dragonflies, moths, and beetles. It has a rich and varied song that sounds like “chew chew chew” or “tew tew tew”.
10. Belted Kingfisher
The belted kingfisher is a large and stocky bird that has a blue-gray back, a white belly, and a shaggy crest. The male has a blue band across the chest, while the female has a blue and a chestnut band. The belted kingfisher is a common and conspicuous bird in Michigan, where it lives near water. It feeds on fish, crayfish, frogs, and other aquatic animals, which it catches by diving from a perch. It has a loud and rattling call that sounds like “r-r-r-r-r”.
11. Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is the largest and most majestic of the blue birds in Michigan. It has a blue-gray back, a white head with a black stripe, and a long yellow bill. The legs and neck are long and slender. The great blue heron inhabits wetlands, lakes, rivers, and coasts, where it feeds on fish, frogs, snakes, and other animals. It has a deep and hoarse call that sounds like “fraaank” or “grrraa”.
What are small blue birds in Michigan?
Some of the blue birds in Michigan are small and cute, such as the eastern bluebird, the blue-gray gnatcatcher, the cerulean warbler, and the tree swallow. Here are some details about these small blue birds and why they are special.
12. Eastern Bluebird
The eastern bluebird is one of the most beautiful and popular blue birds in Michigan. It has a bright blue back, a rusty red chest, and a white belly. The female is duller than the male, with more gray on the back and less red on the chest. The eastern bluebird inhabits open woodlands, orchards, farms, and suburban areas,
where it nests in cavities or nest boxes. It feeds on insects, worms, fruits, and berries. It has a sweet and musical song that sounds like “chur-wi” or “tru-ly”. The eastern bluebird is a symbol of happiness and joy, and a favorite of many bird lovers. It is also the state bird of Michigan.
13. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
The blue-gray gnatcatcher is a tiny and active songbird that has a blue-gray back, a white eye ring, and a long black tail with white edges. The female is similar to the male, but with less black on the tail. The blue-gray gnatcatcher inhabits woodlands, thickets, and shrubby areas, where it feeds on insects, spiders, and small fruits. It has a high-pitched and squeaky song that sounds like “spee spee spee” or “zhee zhee zhee”. The blue-gray gnatcatcher is one of the smallest blue birds in Michigan, measuring only about 4 inches in length. It is also one of the most energetic and restless, constantly flitting and flicking its tail.
14. Cerulean Warbler
The cerulean warbler is a small and striking songbird that has a sky-blue back, a white belly, and black streaks on the sides. The male has a black necklace and a black stripe on the wing, while the female has a bluish-green back and a yellowish throat. The cerulean warbler breeds in mature deciduous forests, where it feeds on insects and spiders. It sings a rapid and buzzy song that sounds like “zee zee zee zee zee zee zee”. The cerulean warbler is a rare and endangered bird in Michigan, where it is considered a state specialty. It migrates to South America in the winter. The cerulean warbler is one of the most beautiful and elusive blue birds in Michigan, often hiding in the high canopy of the forest. It is also one of the most threatened, due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Conclusion:
We hope you enjoyed learning about the 15 types of blue birds in Michigan. These blue bird species are diverse and fascinating, each with its own characteristics and behaviors. They also need our help and protection, as some of them are facing threats from habitat loss, climate change, and other factors. You can support the conservation of these blue birds by joining the Michigan Bluebird Society, a nonprofit organization that promotes the preservation and enhancement of bluebird habitat. You can also attract blue birds to your backyard by providing them with nest boxes, feeders, water, and native plants. By doing so, you will not only help these blue birds, but also enjoy their beauty and songs.
FAQ’s:
What kind of bird is blue in Michigan?
There are 15 types of blue birds in Michigan, such as the eastern bluebird, the tree swallow, the cerulean warbler, and the belted kingfisher. Some of them are entirely blue, like the indigo bunting, while others are partially blue, like the blue jay.
Are there blue jays in Michigan?
Yes, blue jays are partially migratory birds but can be seen in Michigan all year round. During the cold season, they sometimes move around to areas with a more plentiful supply of food. If you want to attract bluejays to your bird feeder, it’s best to offer them peanuts or sunflower seeds.
What do bluebirds in Michigan eat?
Bluebirds are insectivorous and eat primarily insects throughout the spring, summer, and early fall. As cold temperatures kill insect populations in late fall and winter, the birds will consume more fruits when they can’t find enough insects. Some of the natural foods that bluebirds eat in the winter are dogwood, holly, juniper, sumac, mountain ash, mistletoe, hackberry, multiflora rose, and viburnum berries. You can also feed bluebirds with mealworms, suet, sunflower hearts, softened fruits, and cornmeal muffins.
Do bluebirds migrate in Michigan?
Typically, all bluebirds migrate from Michigan in winter to warmer climates in the southeast. However, residents in southern Michigan will remain during mild winters. Bluebirds migrate based on winter weather conditions and food availability. The birds in northern breeding grounds will fly south to escape harsh winters in the mountains and the Great Plains.
