12 Birds That Are BLUE In North Dakota! (ID GUIDE)

Did you see a BLUE bird in North Dakota?

Common Blue Birds in North Dakota

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 12 blue birds in North Dakota 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.

There are 12 birds in North Dakota that are considered “blue.”


#1. Blue Jay

  • Cyanocitta cristata

North Dakota Blue Birds species

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Backs are covered in beautiful blue feathers with black bars throughout. Underparts are white.
  • Their head is surrounded by a black necklace that has a blue crest on top.
  • Males and females look the same.

Some people dislike Blue Jays, but I love their bold personalities. Their high intelligence makes these birds interesting to observe, not to mention their plumage is stunning.

Blue Jay Range Map

blue jay range map

Typically, they visit feeders noisily, fitting as much food as possible in their throat sacks and then leaving quickly to cache their bounty. My favorite foods to use are whole peanuts, as Blue Jays are one of the only birds that can crack open the shells to access the inside! You can also use sunflower seeds and corn to attract them.

These birds are also excellent mimics and frequently imitate hawks. They are so good it’s hard to tell the difference between which bird is present. It’s thought that jays do this to deceive other birds into believing a hawk is present. Not a bad plan if you want to get a bird feeder all to yourself!

Blue Jays are one of the noisier birds in North Dakota you will hear.

The most common vocalization that I hear is their alarm call, which sounds like it’s saying “jeer.


#2. Barn Swallow

  • Hirundo rustica

Types of Blue Birds that live in North Dakota

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 North Dakota in open fields, meadows, pond marshes, or coastal waters.

Barn Swallow Range Map

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.

YouTube video

#3. Cliff Swallow

  • Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

cliff swallow pic

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 North Dakota, 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

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Xz4ZK8I3o


#4. Belted Kingfisher

  • Megaceryle alcyon

belted king fisher pic

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 North Dakota. 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

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.

YouTube video

#5. Indigo Bunting

  • Passerina cyanea

indigo bunting pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Males are entirely blue with striped wings and silver bills.
  • Females are brownish with a streaked white breast. Only a little bit of blue on wings, tail, or rump.

Indigo Buntings are stunningly beautiful blue birds in North Dakota. No wonder they are known as the Blue Canary.

Indigo Bunting Range Map

indigo bunting range map

In summer, look for this species in open woodlands like edges of woods or forests. They may also be along roads or water sources. In winter, they are more likely in grasslands, lawns, shrubs, and trees.

Luckily, you can attract these blue beauties to your backyard with nyjer thistle seed. They like insects, so you could also try live mealworms.

Surprisingly, this bird migrates at night by following the stars. They can do this because they possess an internal clock that helps them adjust their angle to the star’s orientation in the sky.

Male Indigo Buntings sing over 200 songs in an hour at dawn. Listen below to their high-pitched notes that are sharp but clear.

YouTube video

#6. Purple Martin

  • Progne subis

purple martin pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Larger swallow, with a slightly hooked bill, long tapered wings, and short forked tails.
  • Males are a deep blueish purple with brownish-black wings and tails.
  • Females are duller in color, white belly, and gray on the head and chest.

You are probably thinking, “Why is a Purple Martin in an article about blue birds?”

Good question.

It is because they are primarily more blue than purple!

This bird’s habitat is broad, and they prefer an open area as long as it is by a lake or pond.

Purple Martin Range Map

purple martin range map

Purple Martins prefer to eat insects year-round and are swift flyers. They glide and make big circles in the air as they catch prey. They can fly as high as 500 feet in the air.

To attract these species try putting out a Purple Martin birdhouse during the breeding season. You should make sure it has a guard to protect the eggs from predators. This species enjoys eating broken eggshells, which helps their digestion.

Both sexes sing songs. The male songs are a deep gurgling warbler “tee, tee, tee.” Female songs are more joyful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_dv0J2wN0U


#7. Tree Swallow

  • Tachycineta bicolor

tree swallow pic

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

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.

YouTube video

#8. Little Blue Heron

  • Egretta caerulea

little blue heron

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Adults have a slate-gray body and a purple-maroon head and neck.
  • Juveniles during their first year, these herons are entirely white!
  • Look for a two-toned bill, regardless of the bird’s age, which is gray with a black tip.

Little Blue Herons are blue wading birds in North Dakota found in shallow wetlands.

They are patient hunters and will stay motionless for long periods, waiting for prey to pass by them. While waiting, they keep their daggerlike bill pointed downwards to be prepared for the moment a fish, amphibian, insect, or crustacean appears.

Little Blue Heron Range Map

little blue heron range map

As you can see above, juvenile Little Blue Herons look entirely different than adults! It’s thought that these birds adapted this white plumage to be tolerated by Snowy Egrets, who catch more fish. Hanging out with large flocks of white herons also probably helps with avoiding predators. 🙂

Little Blue Herons are mostly silent, but it is possible to hear them squeaking when alarmed. They also emit various screams and croaks while nesting at a colony.


#9. Blue Grosbeak

  • Passerina caerulea

Blue grosbeak male and female

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Stocky grosbeak with a vast, triangular bill.
  • Males are deep, rich blue birds with a small black mask in front of the eyes, chestnut wing bars, and a black and silver beak.
  • Females are primarily cinnamon-brown. The color is richer on the head, paler on the underparts; their tails are bluish.

These blue birds will visit bird feeders in North Dakota that offer sunflower seeds. To help them feel more protected, place your feeding station near shrubs and other brushes. You’ll typically hear them singing before you see them.

Blue Grosbeaks Range Map

blue grosbeak range map

Blue Grosbeaks are very shy, especially around humans, which makes them challenging to observe. Interestingly, both males and females have a weird habit of twitching their tails sideways, although the reason for this behavior is unknown.

Blue Grosbeaks have also been known to “sidle,” where they walk sideways along branches, as seen in parrots.

Listen below as the male Blue Grosbeak sings a musical warble that lasts for 2 or 3 seconds.

YouTube video

#10. Eastern Bluebird

  • Sialia sialis

eastern bluebird

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Males are vibrant blue with a rusty chest and throat, which makes them relatively easy to identify.
  • Females look similar, but the colors are more subdued.

Few birds are as pretty as an Eastern Bluebird. Thanks to their cheerful disposition and amazing beauty, these birds are always a pleasure to see, both for birders and non-birders alike!

These bluebirds are common in North Dakota and are found in open areas. Look for them in meadows, fields, cemeteries, golf courses, parks, backyards, and even Christmas tree farms!

Eastern Bluebird Range Map

eastern bluebird range map

The primary diet of the Eastern Bluebird changes with the seasons. During warmer months, insects caught on the ground are their primary source of nutrition, such as beetles, crickets, and spiders. However, when bugs go away in winter, their diet switches to fruit and berries found on trees.

Related Article:

These birds have a beautiful call. Listen for a liquid-sounding warbling song that consists of 1—3 notes, which is typically given several times in a row. You can also listen to Eastern Bluebirds by pressing play below!

YouTube video

#11. Mountain Bluebird

  • Sialia currucoides

mountain bluebird

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 western North Dakota, look for Mountain 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 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!


#12. Lazuli Bunting

  • Passerina amoena

lazuli bunting pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Small, stocky birds with cone-shaped bills.
  • Males are a vivid sky blue on top with a white belly and orangish-brown breast. Wings are streaked and have a white marking on the shoulder.
  • Females are grayish-brown on upper parts and tan underneath. Wings have a blueish tint to parts of them and two tan wing bars.

You will find these blue birds in western North Dakota. They prefer shrubbery-filled hillsides near water.

Lazuli Bunting Range Map

lazuli bunting range map

Lazuli Buntings spend most of their time foraging for spiders, caterpillars, or beetles on the ground or in low areas of shrubs or trees.

They are a regular visitor to backyard bird feeders and enjoy sunflower seeds, white proso millet, and nyjer seeds. Helpful Hint: if you provide native shrubs to provide foraging or nesting locations, you can increase the chances of seeing one.

Male Lazulis sing a fast high pitched song where they repeat the same notes. Listen below.

YouTube video

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 North Dakota?

Leave a comment below!

To learn more about other birds that live near you, check out these guides!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *