Blue Grosbeak
| Blue Grosbeak | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Male (upper), female (lower) | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Cardinalidae |
| Genus: | Passerina |
| Species: | P. caerulea |
| Binomial name | |
| Passerina caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) |
|
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea, formerly Guiraca caerulea)[1], is a medium-sized seed-eating bird in the same family as the Northern Cardinal, "tropical" or New World buntings, and "cardinal-grosbeaks" or New World grosbeaks.
The Blue Grosbeak is a migratory bird, with nesting grounds across most of the southern half of the United States and much of northern Mexico, migrating south to Central America and in very small numbers to northern South America; the southernmost record comes from eastern Ecuador. It eats mostly insects, but it will also eat snails, spiders, seeds, grains, and wild fruits. The Blue Grosbeak forages on the ground and in shrubs and trees.
[edit] Habitat
This species is found in partly open habitat with scattered trees, riparian woodland, scrub, thickets, cultivated lands, woodland edges, overgrown fields, or hedgerows. It nests in a low tree or bush or a tangle of vegetation, usually about 1–3 m above ground, often at the edge of an open area.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Passerina caerula. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on March 6, 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
[edit] External links
- Blue Grosbeak Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- North Carolina Partners in Flight
- Blue Grosbeak - Guiraca caerulea - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Blue Grosbeak Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Picture of Blue Grosbeak in hand
- Blue Grosbeak Bird Sound
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