Handsome birds with a pretty warbling song, Blue Grosbeaks are a colorful breeder in many of the southwest's riparian corridors.

Family: Owls (Strigidae)
Genus & Species: Passerina caerulea
Identification:
 - Size: 6.75" length, 11" wingspan, 1 oz weight
 - Male color and appearance: Blue body with two rufous wing-bars. Large, conical silvery bill.
 - Female ID: Buffy brown body with semblance of rufous wing-bars. Has the same large, conical bill, which is pale in color.
 - Juvenile ID: Similar to female.
 - Flight: Direct
Feeding Behavior: Looks for seeds and insects on the ground.
Similar Species: Looks like a large Indigo Bunting, with which it is often confused. Blue Grosbeak has a much larger bill. If seen in good light, Blue Grosbeak also has two rufous wing-bars.
Songs and Calls: Song is a raspy, melodic warble, varying very little in pitch. Call is a metallic chink, similar to Black-headed Grosbeak.
Status: Common in our area from May through September in appropriate habitat.
Habitat: In our area prefers to nest in riparian areas with brush. Also found in brushy, weedy fields.
Breeding Range:
 - Southern CA: All of southern California, with the exception of the deserts
 - AZ: Statewide, with the exception of desert lands.
 - NM: Statewide south of the Rocky Mountains
Wintering Range: Southern Mexico and Central America
Known breeding locations: In Yuma County, common at Mittry Lake and the Yuma East Wetlands.