A heavy-billed, vibrant blue songbird that breeds across Hill Country brushy edges and savannas, featuring rich chestnut-red wing bars.
Field Identification: Male: deep indigo blue body, massive silver-grey beak, and two broad chestnut-cinnamon wing bars. Female: warm brown with buffy wing bars.
Texas & Hill Country Notes: Blue Grosbeaks frequently incorporate shed snake skins and plastic strips into their woven cup nests for camouflage. Their heavy conical bill allows them to crack tough native seeds and crush large grasshoppers effortlessly.
