blue – today's bird

indigo buntings are a small member of the cardinal family found in north america (and south america during the winter). in fall and winter, the male and female buntings look the same, but in spring males molt into striking blue plumage.

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this is a blue mutation scarlet macaw. these macaws are rare in captivity, and the mutation has never been seen in the wild; they are somewhat controversial, as the mutation results from extensively managed breeding that likely included some inbreeding.

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yellow-headed amazons are typically bright green with a yellow head. however, this bird is an unusual blue and white. mutations like these are usually seen only in captivity, but this wild parrot was spotted in bonaire.

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this is a rainbow lorikeet with the rare blue mutation. normally, these birds are mainly green. this mutation is so rare it is only kept by breeders as of 2018.

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this is a rare blue mutation sun conure. sun conures are typically known for their orange and yellow hues with green accents, but this bird, produced through captive breeding, is an exception.

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this unusual scaly-breasted lorikeet with a blue color mutation was spotted in queensland, australia. these color mutations are rare even in captivity, and the lack of selective breeding along with possibly being ostracized by flockmates + singled out by predators makes them even rarer in the wild.

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this is a black-headed caique with a blue color mutation. typically, the back, wings, and tail of this bird would be a bright green, but selective breeding has been used to develop this mutation. despite the questionable ethics of color mutation breeding, mutations are in high demand and can be pricey. this mutation is rare and not typically available to the public.

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