Discover 12 Blue Birds in Illinois

Illinois is a state in the Midwest nicknamed the “prairie state” for its rolling prairies and farmland. But the state also boasts forests and wetlands, supporting wildlife of all kinds, especially birds. Discover 12 blue birds in Illinois and learn about their habitats, appearance, foraging behavior, and how to attract them to your backyard feeder.

1. Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Range and Habitat: The red-breasted nuthatch spends its winters in Illinois and most of the United States. You will find them primarily in coniferous forests, but you can also find them in orchards, parks, scrubs, and plantations. 

Coloring: They are grayish-blue, black, white, and rusty red.

Food and Foraging Behavior: In winter, they mainly eat conifer seeds. You can find them foraging on tree trunks and large limbs, sometimes caching food in bark crevices.

Backyard Tip: Add peanut butter to a suet mixture to attract these birds.

2. Northern Parula

Range and Habitat: The northern parula primarily migrates through Illinois, but some populations stop in the state to breed during spring and summer. You can find them in any kind of tree during migration. Look for nests in humid coniferous or deciduous forests.

Coloring: Colors include bluish-gray, yellow, chestnut, white, and black.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They mainly eat insects and berries. They forage slowly, patiently searching among leaves and twigs.

Backyard Tip: These birds do not typically visit feeders. But you can provide native trees and shrubs for their habitat.

3. Little Blue Heron

Range and Habitat: The little blue heron lives in shallow wetlands in the southern tip of Illinois. This bird typically inhabits the southeast, but breeding populations can find their way further north. Look for them in marshes, swamps, and ponds.

Coloring: Most of these birds are dark slaty-blue, maroon, and pale green.

Food and Foraging Behavior: Fish and crustaceans are their primary food sources. They capture their prey by slowly walking through shallow water, plunging their beak into the water when they spot something.

Backyard Tip: This species is not a backyard or feeder bird.

4. Cliff Swallow

Range and Habitat: Cliff swallows are birds of the west, but some populations find their way out east to breed. You can occasionally find these birds in Illinois during spring and summer. They breed primarily in vertical cliffs. However, they will settle for other surfaces with abundant mud supply.

Coloring: Midnight blue, cinnamon, brown, and white make up their palette.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They feed on a variety of flying insects, catching their prey mid-air. You can also find them feeding in flocks.

Backyard Tip: This species does not frequent backyards or feeders.

5. White-Breasted Nuthatch

Range and Habitat: The white-breasted nuthatch lives all year in Illinois and most of the United States. They favor woodland edges, forest clearings, suburban parks, roadsides, and stream sides. 

Coloring: This species is bluish-gray, black, white, and chestnut.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They forage for insects and seeds by climbing tree trunks and large limbs. You can sometimes find them on the ground.

Backyard Tip: Provide sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts — a few of this bird’s favorite snacks.

6. Great Blue Heron

Range and Habitat: Great blue herons live year-round in southern Illinois, but you can find them throughout the rest of the state during the breeding season. These aquatic birds are associated with freshwater habitats, such as marshes, swamps, and slow-moving rivers.

Coloring: They’re bluish-gray, black, white, and yellow.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They have a variable diet, consisting of fish, frogs, turtles, snakes, and more. You will typically find them standing still in shallow water, waiting for prey to pass.

Backyard Tip: You won’t find the great blue heron in your backyard.

7. Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

Range and Habitat: The blue-gray gnatcatcher is abundant across North America, except for the far north. You can find this species during spring and summer in Illinois in deciduous forest habitats.

Coloring: They come in blue-gray, light gray, black, and white.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They forage insects and spiders in trees and shrubs. They busily search for their prey by turning over leaves and twigs.

Backyard Tip: These birds do not visit feeders, but you can attract them by providing deciduous trees and shrubby brush.

8. Indigo Bunting

Range and Habitat: Indigo buntings are familiar birds in the east during the breeding season. Look for them in Illinois during spring and summer near roadsides, old fields, and woodland edges.

Coloring: Their gorgeous shades include sky blue, royal blue, silver, black, and white.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They eat seeds and insects and forage at all levels, from the ground to tall trees. You will find them feeding alone during summer.

Backyard Tip: Use a feeder to provide thistle, nyger, and mealworms.

9. Purple Martin

Range and Habitat: Purple martins are another breeding bird of the eastern United States. They live in Illinois during spring and summer, where you can find them in any semi-open area near ponds and rivers.

Coloring: They are blue-purple and brownish black.

Food and Foraging Behavior: They forage by air, swooping low over the water to catch flying insects, like wasps and winged ants.

Backyard Tip: Construct a nest box in an open area away from human habitations to attract these beauties.

10. Eastern Bluebird

Range and Habitat: Eastern bluebirds breed throughout all of Illinois and the eastern United States. However, some populations live year-round in southern Illinois. They build their nests in forest clearings, farmland, and open pine woods.

Coloring: They include deep blue, rusty red, and white.

Food and Foraging Behavior: This species eats insects and berries. They perch on low branches before fluttering to the ground to capture their prey.

Backyard Tip: Build a nest box in an open area and provide nesting material, like pine needles.

11. Blue Jay 

Range and Habitat: Blue jays live year-round in the eastern half of the U.S., including Illinois. They live in many common areas near humans, such as towns, lawns, and gardens. But you can also see them in oak and pine woods.

Coloring: They’re a mix of sky blue, deep blue, aqua, white, and black.

Food and Foraging Behavior: These omnivores have a varied diet, including nuts, seeds, fruits, insects, snails, eggs, and more. They forage in trees, shrubs, and on the ground.

Backyard Tip: Provide suet, sunflower seeds, and mealworms for these birds to snack on.

12. Common Grackle

Range and Habitat: They live year-round in Illinois and most of the southeast. These birds are also common around humans, visiting towns, parks, lawns, groves, and farms.

Coloring: Blue-green, bronze, and purple are their colors.

Food and Foraging Behavior: These omnivores have a wide-ranging diet, including insects, fish, frogs, lizards, eggs, birds, and rodents. They forage by walking on the ground or wading in shallow water.

Backyard Tip: Spread mixed grains and seeds on the ground for this species.

Summary of 12 Blue Birds in Illinois

Here’s a recap of the dozen beautiful birds with blue coloring we looked at that can be found in Illinois.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Joseph Scott Photography/Shutterstock.com