The habitat of cardinals my friend is North America, you can see them in every yard on the flowers and trees, their red color adds beauty to nature as it gives a good touch to every place where they’re.
I used to see red Cardinals everywhere like the latest time I saw him in Central Park in New York City but many people claim that they saw the legendary Blue Cardinal. Is it true there are Blue Cardinals?
Are There Blue Cardinals?
Keep it in mind, that there are no blue Cardinals. Cardinals are known for their vibrant red plumage, especially in males, and females have a mix of brown and gray with red tones.
Those who claimed to have seen Blue Cardinals did not mean to lie and spread a rumor but, mostly they saw a bluebird that looked like a cardinal and seemed similar in their physical characteristics.
Guys, please don’t trust anyone who said there are blue Cardinals, because their trademark is the Red color, there are three types of cardinals but no one is known for the blue color including the Vermilion Cardinal, Desert Cardinal, and the Northern Cardinal.
I’d like to clarify that the differences in color between these cardinals are not much as they all have the same color;
Color Differences Between Cardinals:
You may see a bluebird that will seem to you like a Cardinal and this is what happens to many birdwatchers when they are on a birding trip, and it’s impossible to find the blue color in one of these three types of Cardinals we mentioned.
There is another reason why these birdwatchers claim that there are different colors in Cardinals that is they may see two different genders of Cardinals and will realize the small difference between them in terms of color as the male will be white red and the female a little mixed between Red, Brown and gray.
Which Blue Bird Looks Similar to a Cardinal?
There are many birds with different colors including the Blue that look similar To Cardinals in terms of physical characteristics.
The problem why many people think there are Blue Cardinals is the speed of birds when they fly and our cameras or binoculars can’t catch them very well while flying.
The Bluebirds look similar to a Cardinal: Blue Grosbeak, Blue Jays, Steller’s Jay, Indigo Bunting, and Mountain Bluebird.
Blue Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak is considered one of the birds that look similar to a Cardinal in terms of physical characteristics and I was mistaken one day on a birding trip, I thought It was a blue cardinal but after focusing on it through binoculars I realized that it was Blue Grosbeak.
The Blue Grosbeak and Cardinals share some characteristics that make people mistaken, So the common characteristic is that both are songbirds and they have similar body shapes and sizes.
The males of Blue Grosbeaks have blue plumage with brown wings and tails, while females have more subdued brown and streaked appearances.
While they may share some general characteristics, their specific colorations and markings are different, allowing birdwatchers and ornithologists to distinguish between the two species.
Blue Jays
Blue Jays have a blue plumage with white and black markings. They have a crest on their head, which they can raise or lower, and their wings and tail often display striking patterns of black and white.
Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays are commonly similar in many characteristics including habitat and range and what makes any birdwatchers to be mistaken and think they’re Cardinals when they see them is the regal crests on their heads because both have this function.
But this does not mean that Northern Cardinals and Blue jays are the same species because the Blue jays are aggressive and can’t live near humans compared to Cardinals.
Indigo Bunting
The Indigo Bunting is a small songbird known for its striking, bright blue plumage, particularly in males. Male Indigo Buntings are predominantly blue, while females are more brown and have subtle blue highlights. They are relatively smaller than Northern Cardinals and lack the cardinal’s crest.
Some people also claim that Indigo Bunting is from the Cardinal family but let me tell you my friend this is mistaken because they look similar in physical characteristics and there are only a few differences in color and size but if you focus on their vocalization you will realize that Indigo Bunting have a sweet and melodious song.
there is another difference in terms of nesting behavior as Indigo Buntings build cup-shaped nests in shrubs or small trees, often using grasses, leaves, and other plant materials. They are known to lay multiple broods in a single breeding season.
but Cardinals tend to place them in dense vegetation, including shrubs and low branches and Cardinals may have multiple broods in a season as well.
Steller’s Jay
Steller’s Jay is a small bird that is bigger than a Cardinal, but he looks similar in body characteristics and they’re different in color as he has a crest atop his head like Cardinals but with a deep blue with contrasting black plumage.
Even though this this size is different many people still think they’re the same species.
Mountain Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird is a small and striking songbird found in North America. Males are characterized by their brilliant sky-blue plumage and some people also claim that is a Cardinal when they see it from a long distance.
if you come a little closer you will notice the difference in their size and there is no head crest and if you hear their sounds is very different.
Are There Different Colors of Cardinals?
The typical color of Northern Cardinals is bright red for males and more subdued for females. Rare genetic mutations can cause color variations, such as yellow or white plumage, but these instances are uncommon.
Some rare yellow Cardinals are seen by some lucky birdwatchers. this color is a result of a genetic mutation that affects the pigmentation of the bird’s feathers. These mutations can cause a cardinal to have yellow or orange plumage instead of the typical red.
However, yellow coloration is often a result of a condition called xanthochroism, which is a genetic variation that affects the production of pigments in feathers. This mutation can lead to a range of color changes, including the development of yellow or orange feathers.
There are also some rare albino white Cardinals and the white color is the same reason why some Cardinals are yellow a genetic mutation but this time a case a case called leucism, a condition that reduces pigmentation in the feathers.
Final Thoughts: Are There Blue Cardinals?
The confirmed answer is there are no Blue Cardinals but there blue birds that look like Cardinals and this is what makes birdwatchers to be mistaken.
Please everyone who sees an unsure bird make sure first and then tell others what is seen because when people say a piece of unsure news, they make others ask themselves and search about this even though it’s good to search you will find new unexpected information.
When you see an unsure bird that looks similar to Cardinals and you want to make sure, you can come back to this article and compare the characteristics of the bird you saw and the information I provided about Cardinals.