Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
Grosbeaks & Buntings
Common
Summer and Spring
Blue Grosbeak, male - Chino, CA
© Tom Benson
Blue Grosbeak, female - Devore, CA
© Brad Singer
The Blue Grosbeak is a fairly common breeding visitor to campus in the CSUSB Preserve from late April through early August. It is a fairly common migrant and breeding bird in mixed grasslands or weedy areas in the foothills and coastal lowlands in southern California.
High Count: 8, Average Count: 1-3
The adult male Blue Grosbeak is entirely dark blue with black wings and tail and cinnamon wing bars, and has a deep conical bill. Adult females and juveniles are warm brown or reddish brown overall with paler bellies and buff or whitish wing bars. First spring (one-year old) males are intermediate between adult males and females.