6 Birds That Are BLUE In Alaska! (ID GUIDE)
Did you see a BLUE bird in Alaska?
If so, I’m sure you’re wondering what type of bird it was! Luckily, you can use the guide below to help you figure it out.
And let me clarify, “When I say blue birds, I mean birds that are partly or entirely blue.” Surprisingly, there are 6 blue birds in Alaska that we will be looking at in this guide
I have included information on males and females of each species. But please note that MOST male species are bluer than females. Sometimes the female is more moderately blue or a different color entirely.
To learn more about other birds that live near you, check out these guides!
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There are 6 birds in Alaska that are considered “blue.”
#1. Barn Swallow
- Hirundo rustica
Identifying Characteristics:
- Small bird with a flat head, thin bill, pointed wings, thick neck, and fork-like tail.
- Both sexes are similar striking metallic blue, rusty brown underparts, rufous colored forehead, and throat. White spots on the tail are typically visible during flight. Females are as bold in colors.
These blue birds are typically found in Alaska in open fields, meadows, pond marshes, or coastal waters.
Barn Swallow Range Map
Barn Swallows prefer to eat larger insects rather than eating groups of smaller ones. Therefore, they primarily feed close to water or the ground catching insects in mid-air.
This blue bird doesn’t typically ever come to bird feeders. But you may get lucky if you leave out eggshells or oyster shells on a platform feeder. These foods aid in their digestion.
One interesting fact about Barn Swallows is sometimes; an unmated male will kill young birds in a nest to break up the parenting Barn Swallow couple. Then the unmated male gets together with the female.
Both males and females sing a long warbler song full of warbling notes and mechanical sounds. Listen below.
#2. Cliff Swallow
- Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Identifying Characteristics:
- Small head, rounded body, and square tail.
- Both sexes look similar with dark blue on backs and crowns, rust-colored faces, dark wings, orangeish rump, and white underparts.
- Whiteish tan mark above bill, which sometimes is brown.
If you see a flock of birds that are blue in Alaska, it may be a bunch of Cliff Swallows!
These social birds are found in large flocks, often around in various habitats. They prefer grasslands, towns, and river edges but are many times seen around bridges. They also like to stay away from forests and deserts.
Cliff Swallow Range Map
This species typically builds mud nests on cliffs. But now, because of so many manmade structures, they also make their nest under bridges and overpasses.
The Cliff Swallow primarily forages for food in the air in flocks up to over 1,000 individuals during the day.
Cliff swallows songs are odd sounding with grinding sounds and squeaks. It kind of sounds like if someone was twisty a balloon and trying to make a balloon animal. Listen below.
#3. Belted Kingfisher
- Megaceryle alcyon
Identifying Characteristics:
- Both sexes are bluish-gray with white around the neck and underparts—long mohawk feathered crown with a long bill.
- Females are blue-gray and white and have more bright colors than males. Females also have a rust-colored belly.
- Males are blue-gray with a white band on their neck and a blue-gray band on their breast.
This species gets the award for being one of the coolest-looking birds that are blue in Alaska. Its distinct high crown feathers and large long bill on its tiny body should help you quickly identify them.
Belted Kingfishers are found in water habitats almost everywhere.
Fortunately, you can attract them to your backyard if you have a pond or goldfish pool.
Belted King Fisher Range Map
You will find the Belted Kingfisher near the edges of water like lakes, rivers, or ponds. From here, they hunt their prey by diving from their perch to get fish from the water.
These birds don’t have a song but give mechanical rattles as calls, often even for the slightest thing. If frightened, they have been known to let out a scream. Listen below to their call.
#4. Tree Swallow
- Tachycineta bicolor
Identifying Characteristics:
- Small bird with a tiny bill.
- Males are greenish-blue on upperparts, long and pointy black wings, and white on the belly.
- Females are not as bright in color and brown upper parts.
You will typically find Tree Swallows by bodies of water in shorelines, marshes, or fields, where they breed and can find tons of insects to feed on. This species will even bathe by flying over the water, skimming their bodies on the surface, and shaking off the droplets.
Tree Swallow Range Map
This blue bird prefers to eat insects, but they visit backyards with fruit shrubs, such as Mayberry.
After breeding season, Tree Swallows gather in large groups up to hundreds of thousands to migrate and molt.
Both males and females sing a cheerful but shrill song. Listen below.
#5. Mountain Bluebird
- Sialia currucoides
Identifying Characteristics:
- Males are covered with beautiful sky-blue feathers on their heads, back, and wings.
- Females are a bit trickier since they are primarily gray-brown, with tinges of blue on their tails and wings.
There are not many things more beautiful than seeing one of these bluebirds while hiking in the mountains. 🙂
In Alaska, look for Western Bluebirds in open areas. As their name suggests, Mountain Bluebirds are observed at elevations up to 12,500 feet during the breeding season. However, once winter arrives, they typically fly down to lower elevations.
Mountain Bluebird Range Map
Mountain Bluebirds feast on insects during warm months and switch their diet to primary berries in winter. But unlike other bluebird species, they are excellent aerial hunters and routinely grab insects out of mid-air!
Finding a suitable nesting location is crucial for female Mountain Bluebirds; they rarely care about anything else. She chooses her mate almost solely based on the quality of his nesting cavity, ignoring things like looks, singing skills, and flying ability!
Press PLAY! Next time you are in a mountain valley or meadow, keep your ears open and listen for a Mountain Bluebird!
#6. Steller’s Jay
- Cyanocitta stelleri
Identifying Characteristics:
- Larger bird with a black head, rounded wings, and long tail. A tall black crest on the crown of the head helps identify them.
- Both sexes are half black, half blue on their wings, belly, and tail.
You will find the Steller’s Jay in evergreen forests in southern Alaska. These bold birds, which are half blue, often visit parks, campgrounds, and picnic areas.
Steller’s Jay Range Map
This jay is very intelligent, bold, and noisy. You can attract this species to your backyard feeders by providing peanuts or larger seeds and suet.
The Steller’s Jays are often nest robbers. They have even been known to attack or kill small adult birds like nuthatches or juncos.
Males and sometimes females have calls that sound like “shaack, shaack, shaack,” shooka, shooka.” Listen below.
Do you need additional help identifying a blue bird you have seen?
If so, this field guide should be able to help you.
Which of these blue birds have you seen before in Alaska?
Leave a comment below!
The range maps above were generously shared with permission from The Birds of the World, published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I use their site often to learn new information about birds.