Blue birds with orange chests are a remarkable sight in the bird world. Their unique colors add a special touch to their surroundings.
This article will explore these birds in detail, looking at their characteristics, behavior, and the stories behind their appearance. Let’s get started!
28 Blue Birds With Orange Chests
1. Indian Roller
| Scientific Name: | Coracias benghalensis |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 10.2–10.6 in (26–27 cm) |
| Weight: | 5.9–6.2 oz (166–176 g) |
| Wingspan: | 25.6–29.1 in (65–74 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 17 years |
Belonging to the roller family of birds, the Indian Roller stands out with its bright blue plumage and orange chest. These medium-sized birds present a muted brownish-orange appearance when at rest.
In addition, they have bright blue markings on their wings that are prominent when in flight. Both genders share a similar appearance.
Indian Rollers got their name from the spectacular aerial maneuvers they do during courtship. During mating season, males perform an aerobatic performance that includes twists and turns in order to attract females.
Interestingly, Indian Rollers have a knack for plunging headfirst into the water, a behavior that not only cools them down but also helps eliminate dust, parasites, and loose feathers from their plumage.
They frequently inhabit open grassland and scrub forest environments and are often observed perched around roadside trees and wires.
The majority of their population lives in India, where they are also officially recognized as the state bird of various Indian states.
2. Barn Swallow
| Scientific Name: | Hirundo rustica |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.7–7.5 in (17–19 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.6–0.8 oz (16–22 g) |
| Wingspan: | 12.6–13.6 in (32–34.5 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 8 years |
The Barn Swallow is a small, distinctive bird that’s easily recognizable with its glossy blue upperparts and bright orange breast. It also has a long, deeply forked tail that is speckled with white spots.
Females have shorter tail streamers, more subdued blue upperparts and breast bands, and lighter underparts than males, despite the fact that both genders appear identical.
Barn Swallows are the most widely distributed species of swallow. Their natural range exceeds 251 million square kilometers, making it the largest of any passerine in the world.
These blue birds with orange chests travel great distances to reach their wintering grounds, which span much of the Southern Hemisphere from the Cape Province of South Africa to northern Australia.
Barn Swallows thrive in low-vegetation open areas like pastures, meadows, and farmland, and they particularly like having access to water in their habitat.
Further, they also have the interesting characteristic of building their nests out of mud, like other birds in this list.
3. Lazuli Bunting
| Scientific Name: | Passerina amoena |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5.1–5.9 in (13–15 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.5–0.6 oz (14–17 g) |
| Wingspan: | 8–8.7 in (20.3–22 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 7 years |
The Lazuli Bunting is a striking blue bird with an orange chest that adds color to the dry, thorny hills, thickets, and gardens of western North America. This kind of plumage also distinguishes them as one of the types of blue birds.
They are small, stout songbirds with cone-like bills and slightly sloping foreheads.
Breeding males are bright blue above, with pumpkin-colored chests and white bellies. They stand out when perched or in flight, thanks to their distinctive white shoulder patches.
On the other hand, females are uniformly grayish brown on top, with a hint of blue on the wings and tail and an unstreaked tan breast.
They primarily eat seeds and insects. They spend most of their time in the understory, but they hop between trees and on the ground to find food.
Lazuli Buntings primarily breed in southern Canada, northern Texas, central New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California.
These birds prefer to nest in dense vegetation such as hedgerows and bushes in backyard gardens, parks, and farmland.
4. Superb Starling
| Scientific Name: | Lamprotornis superbus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 7.1–7.5 in (18–19 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.8–2.7 oz (51–77 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7.4–7.8 in (19–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 15 years |
The Superb Starling is a blue bird with an orange belly that sports a long and thin bill, a robust body, sturdy feet, and an eye-catching plumage pattern.
Adult Superb Starlings can be identified by their black heads and vivid blue-to-green bodies, upper breasts, wings, and tails. A white band separates their blue breasts from their orange bellies.
The white breast band is barely visible on juveniles, and their plumage is less vibrant. Their eyes are brown at birth but change to grayish-white as they age.
Superb Starlings eat mostly insects and worms, but they also eat grains, fruit, and berries.
I am also reminded of a time when I visited a friend in Kenya. While we were having a small picnic in a park with her family, we were visited by a few of these birds who were not afraid to beg for the sandwiches we were having.
My friend mentioned that this is normal for these birds. They are known to venture near residential areas in search of food, resorting to scavenging, taking leftovers, and begging for food around lodges and picnic sites.
Common locations for this species include East African countries, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, among many others.
5. Eastern Bluebird
| Scientific Name: | Sialia sialis |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.3–8.3 in (16–21 cm) |
| Weight: | 1–1.2 oz (28–34 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.8–12.6 in (25–32 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 10 years |
The Eastern Bluebird is the smallest of the bluebird species and is characterized by a blue body and a bright orange chest.
Male Eastern Bluebirds stand out for their striking royal blue upper plumage, rusty brown chest, and white underside.
Females are not as flashy as males because of their grayer upperparts, but they have blue highlights on their wings that give them an elegant look.
Eastern Bluebirds are very social birds that often travel in large groups of 100 or more. They’re also very protective of their territory, both while they’re raising their young and when they’re storing food for the colder months.
Eastern Bluebirds live in the eastern parts of North America and Central America, from southern Canada to Nicaragua. They like open areas with trees that provide good nesting material, such as meadows.
Furthermore, these blue birds with orange chests are becoming regular sights along roads, golf courses, and other open spaces thanks to the proliferation of nesting boxes and bluebird trails.
6. Belted Kingfisher
| Scientific Name: | Megaceryle alcyon |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 11–13.8 in (28–35 cm) |
| Weight: | 4–6.3 oz (113–178 g) |
| Wingspan: | 18.9–22.8 in (48–58 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 14 years |
Belted Kingfishers are sturdy, big-headed blue birds with orange chests.
They are blue-gray above with fine white patches on the wings, similar to other birds with white wing stripes. They also have white markings on their tails and large orange bands across their white bellies.
Belted Kingfishers soar with an air of superiority along rivers and shores thanks to their top-heavy build, powerful flight, and piercing rattle.
They build their nests along riverbanks and thrive almost entirely on fish and crayfish, which they capture by diving with their hefty, straight bills.
Belted Kingfishers prefer habitats close to water, such as riparian zones, wetlands, and estuaries.
They spend the winter in tropical or subtropical regions where the water doesn’t freeze over, so they can continue to get their aquatic food sources.
Belted Kingfishers can be found all over the Americas, from Canada to the southern tip of South America, including the Caribbean and northern Brazil.
7. Western Bluebird
| Scientific Name: | Sialia mexicana |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.3–7.5 in (16–19 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.8–1.1 oz (23–31 g) |
| Wingspan: | 11.8–13 in (30–33 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 4 years |
The Western Bluebird is a small thrush that is distinguishable by its vivid blue plumage, orange breasts and flanks, gray bellies, and slender, straight bills. This appearance allows them to join the list of other birds with orange chests.
These small birds build their nests in tree cavities or nest boxes, and they frequently congregate in small flocks to feast on insects or berries outside of the breeding season while making their soft, chortling calls.
Western Bluebirds are monogamous and form lifelong bonds, although they aren’t always devoted to their partners. They reproduce cooperatively, with helper birds assisting the parents in raising the young.
They can be found on the western coasts of Canada and the United States all the way down through northern Baja, California, and central Mexico.
These blue birds with orange chests inhabit areas where there are scattered trees and grassy areas to forage, such as open conifer forests, woodland edges, farms, and streamside groves.
8. Rainbow Lorikeet
| Scientific Name: | Trichoglossus moluccanus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 9.8–11.8 in (25–30 cm) |
| Weight: | 2.6–5.5 oz (75–157 g) |
| Wingspan: | 17.7–18 in (45–46 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 30 years |
The stunningly colorful Rainbow Lorikeet is another blue bird with an orange chest. They’re characterized by their orange-yellow chests, lavender-blue heads, and yellow-green wings.
Like many other lorikeet species, Rainbow Lorikeets have a tendency to become violent and territorial, both toward members of their own species and those of other species.
However, until competition for food or nesting areas arises, they tend to be peaceful and friendly.
Soft, sweet foods like fruit, berries, and flower buds make up the bulk of a Rainbow Lorikeet’s diet.
In addition, they are perfectly adapted to feed on nectar and pollen, especially those found on Eucalyptus, Banksia, Hibiscus, and coconut plants.
Rainbow Lorikeets can be seen all the way from northern Queensland to South Australia on Australia’s eastern coast. They inhabit urban areas, mangrove swamps, wooded areas, coastal bushes, and rainforests.
9. Blue Rock Thrush
| Scientific Name: | Monticola solitarius |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 8.3–9.1 in (21–23 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.7–2.4 oz (48–68 g) |
| Wingspan: | 13–14.5 in (33–37 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 10 years |
The Blue Rock Thrush is a beautiful bird with a dark blue body and a bright orange belly. Despite their name, these birds are actually chats and not thrushes.
Male Blue Rock Thrushes have iridescent blue plumage, the shade of which varies between subspecies. The orange on their chest stands out against their otherwise dark coloring.
Meanwhile, female Blue Rock Thrushes have dark brown plumage that serves as great camouflage in rocky environments because of their more muted appearance.
These blue birds with orange chests prefer to eat things they find on the ground, such as berries, seeds, snails, insects, locusts, worms, and spiders. They may also consume lizards, mice, and snakes, depending on where they live.
Blue Rock Thrushes are widely distributed in the southern regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts and their respective islands.
Moreover, these birds are a rare sight in the western and northern parts of Europe.
10. Eurasian Nuthatch
| Scientific Name: | Sitta europaea |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 4.3–6 in (11–14 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.6–1 oz (17–28 g) |
| Wingspan: | 8.9–10.6 in (22.5–27 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 12 years |
The Eurasian Nuthatch is a small passerine bird distinguished by their distinctive blue-gray upperparts and orange chest. Their blue-gray feathers help them blend in with their surroundings, making them difficult to spot.
Female Eurasian Nuthatches are distinguishable from males by having lighter upperparts, browner eyestripes, and less vibrant bellies and flanks.
Eurasian Nuthatches are members of the Sittidae family and are known for their unique feeding habits. They are agile climbers, using their strong bill and powerful legs to reach the fruits, seeds, and nuts high in the trees.
They store their food throughout the year and bury seeds in bark crevices, walls, and sometimes even in the ground.
The range of the Eurasian Nuthatches extends over temperate Eurasia, from the United Kingdom to Japan. They thrive in deciduous forests but can also be found in parks, gardens, and other wooded areas.
11. Hill Blue Flycatcher
| Scientific Name: | Cyornis whitei |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5–6 in (13–15 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.3–0.5 oz (10–15 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7–8 in (18–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 5 years |
The Hill Blue Flycatcher, a small bird with a dark blue body and a bright orange chest, is a sight to behold. These birds feature a long, beautiful tail that contributes to their overall elegance.
Male Hill Blue Flycatchers have vivid blue heads and upperparts, while females have a more subdued blue-gray color.
Despite their name, Hill Blue Flycatchers are not limited to hilly or mountainous parts of their range; rather, they can be found in a wide variety of forested environments and wetlands in South and Southeast Asia.
During the breeding season, you can hear the Hill Blue Flycatcher’s beautiful songs as the male sings to potential mates and defends its territory.
In their natural environment, Hill Blue Flycatchers are a captivating sight and sound due to their stunning blue plumage and charming songs.
12. Common Chaffinch
| Scientific Name: | Fringilla coelebs |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6–6.7 in (15–17 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.6–1 oz (18–29 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.6–11.2 in (24.5–28.5 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 15 years |
The Common Chaffinch is both a popular backyard visitor and an easy bird to identify. Their distinctive blue-gray head and rust-orange chest make them easy to spot.
The undersides of their black wings are striped with yellow and white, while the underside of their black tail is white.
Moreover, male Common Chaffinches have blue bills throughout the breeding season that become pinkish-gray once breeding is finished.
Common Chaffinches are highly gregarious birds. Outside of the breeding season, they gather in flocks to hunt seeds on the ground, often mixing with other types of birds.
These blue birds with reddish chests forage during the day, frequently in open areas but also in trees, and they occasionally do quick sallies to grab insects in the air.
Furthermore, Common Chaffinches use a wide variety of sounds and songs as a means of communicating with one another. They sing from high vantage points to attract a mate, and their song can travel great distances.
13. Common Kingfisher
| Scientific Name: | Alcedo atthis |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.3–6.7 in (16–17 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.2–1.4 oz (35–40 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.4–10.2 in (24–26 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 21 years |
As one of the small birds with long beaks, the Common Kingfisher is also a vividly colored blue bird with an orange chest.
Their large, dark bills have a slight reddish hue at the base, complemented by green-blue stripes adorning their necks. The lower halves of their bodies, extending to their legs and feet, are a vivid crimson color.
In terms of appearance, males and females are remarkably similar. However, the lower mandibles of females are typically orange-red with black tips, offering a distinct contrast.
Common Kingfishers primarily feed on fish and other aquatic creatures. Though fish is their primary food source, their diet also includes insects, crabs, and amphibians, such as frogs and tadpoles.
When it comes to protecting their territories, these birds can become quite aggressive. This is something I noticed consistently during my birdspotting sessions.
I have often observed these birds to be engaged in what seemed like aerial fights, not just with other birds but also with their own kind!
Meanwhile, Common Kingfishers are widely distributed across much of central and southern Europe, all the way across Asia, and into eastern Japan.
They tend to frequent open water bodies with shallow depths situated next to scrubby plants and trees with overhanging branches, providing an ideal environment for hunting.
14. Taiwan Vivid Niltava
| Scientific Name: | Niltava vivida |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6–6.3 in (15–16 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.3–0.5 oz (9–13 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7–8 in (18–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 5 years |
The Taiwan Vivid Niltava, a gorgeous blue bird with an orange chest, is native to the scenic island of Taiwan.
Male Taiwan Vivid Niltavas have eye-catching blue feathers on their upperparts and a bright orange belly, making for a stunning contrast.
Meanwhile, females have a grayish-brown crown and nape, a paler underside, a light buffy neck, and an overall olive-brown color.
Insects, spiders, and other tiny flying invertebrates make up the majority of the Taiwan Vivid Niltava’s diet.
These birds are expert foragers that build their nests in trees, where they also forage for food among the branches and leaves.
Taiwan Vivid Niltavas can be spotted from the Himalayas to China and Taiwan. They often feed at mid-story levels alongside other species in subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
15. Malachite Kingfisher
| Scientific Name: | Corythornis cristatus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5–6 in (13–15 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.4–0.7 oz (11–20 g) |
| Wingspan: | 6.7–7.9 in (17–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 10 years |
Malachite Kingfishers are small kingfishers that measure about five inches in length. Their upper bodies are a brilliant metallic blue, while their faces, cheeks, and bellies are a rufous orange, and their necks are white.
Malachite Kingfishers are carnivores and mostly eat a variety of aquatic insects, insect larvae, fish, crabs, prawns, and frogs. They are frequently spotted perched on weeds or trees over slow-moving bodies of water.
These birds have exceptional eyesight and can see deep underwater. They hunt by sight before they fly to the water to capture their prey. They then bring their prey back to the perch and beat it before swallowing it.
This species is found in South Africa, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Eritrea in sub-Saharan Africa.
These blue birds frequent moist areas with fresh water, such as lakes, dams, and areas next to slow-moving rivers and streams, swamps, marshes, and many other places.
16. Red-flanked Bluetail
| Scientific Name: | Tarsiger cyanurus |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5–5.5 in (13–14 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.3–0.6 oz (10–18 g) |
| Wingspan: | 8.2–9.4 in (21–24 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 3 years |
The Red-flanked Bluetail is a small blue bird with an orange chest that was formerly classified as a member of the Turdidae family but has since been determined to belong to the Muscicapidae family of old-world flycatchers.
True to their name, these birds are distinguished by their blue tail and rump and orange-red flanks.
Males are distinguished by their dark blue top parts, while females and juveniles are primarily brown with a blue rump and tail and a tan chest.
Additionally, Red-flanked Bluetails are primarily ground foragers that vary their diet with every season. They get through the winter months by eating a variety of fruits and seeds stored throughout the year.
During the summer, they alter their diet to include insect larvae and insects that lurk among the lush vegetation.
They’re migratory birds that breed in northern Asia and northeastern Europe, primarily in mixed coniferous forests with undergrowth. They winter in southeastern Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and the Himalayas.
17. Blue-eared Kingfisher
| Scientific Name: | Alcedo meninting |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.3–6.7 in (16–17 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.1–1.4 oz (30–40 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.4–10.2 in (24–26 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 5 years |
The Blue-eared Kingfisher, which is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, is another blue bird with an orange chest that can be found throughout the Asian region.
They resemble Common Kingfishers but can be differentiated by their darker crest, deeper rufous underparts, and absence of a rufous ear stripe.
Male Blue-eared Kingfishers have a reddish-brown tip on a black bill, while the females’ bills are almost completely red.
Juveniles share the adult’s dark blue upperparts but have the Common Kingfisher’s rufous cheeks and ear coverts.
When it comes to hunting for food, Blue-eared Kingfishers prefer the shade of the forest’s thick foliage and little streams as their hunting grounds.
They hunt for crustaceans, insect larvae, and fish by plunging to the water’s surface from perches high above heavily forested streams.
Their native habitat includes India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, as well as the Southeast Asian countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
18. Hildebrandt’s Starling
| Scientific Name: | Lamprotornis hildebrandti |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 7–7.8 in (18–20 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.8–2.4 oz (50–69 g) |
| Wingspan: | 12.6–14.2 in (32–36 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 16 years |
The Hildebrant’s Starling is a stunning bird with iridescent purple-blue plumage and an orange belly. They have black bills and legs that contrast with their bright orange irises, which add to their beauty.
Hildebrandt’s Starlings eat both fruit and insects, but insects make up the majority of their diet. They have been observed feasting on flying termites and eating beetles and grasshoppers.
They typically hunt on the ground in small flocks or pairs. These birds do this by following large animals and watching out for prey that scatters away in the presence of these large predators.
Moreover, these birds are cavity nesters, typically constructing their nest out of plant fibers in a woodpecker’s old nest cavity. They usually breed in pairs, but instances of cooperative breeding have been documented.
Hildebrandt’s Starlings are primarily distributed in Kenya and Tanzania. They prefer grassy plains or open areas with scattered trees and thorn bushes.
19. Blue-fronted Redstart
| Scientific Name: | Phoenicurus frontalis |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6–6.3 in (15–16 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.4–0.6 oz (12–19 g) |
| Wingspan: | 0.5–0.6 in (20–24 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 5 years |
The Blue-fronted Redstart is a small passerine bird that belongs to the Muscicapidae family. These beautiful birds have an eye-catching color scheme that combines vibrant blues on their upperparts with their orange belly.
Male Blue-fronted Redstarts exhibit vivid blue foreheads and crowns, whereas females have brown plumage with no wing bars.
They are swift and agile, as shown by the way they dart across the forest floor in search of food, which could be anything from berries to insects to other small invertebrates.
The Blue-fronted Redstart’s breeding range includes central China, the Himalayas, Yunnan, northeast India, and northern Southeast Asia.
They primarily inhabit temperate forests in their range. These woods offer the perfect balance of trees, undergrowth, and water for these particular birds.
20. Rufous-bellied Niltava
| Scientific Name: | Niltava sundara |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6–7 in (15–18 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.6–0.8 oz (17–23 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7–8 in (18–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 6 years |
The Rufous-bellied Niltava is a huge, stocky flycatcher with a blue plumage and an orange chest. They are recognizable by their large bills, relatively short tails, and rounded heads.
Rufous-bellied Niltavas are mainly insectivores like other members of their family, but they also eat fruits.
Strong sexual dimorphism is evident in this species, with the females having olive-brown upperparts, a paler crown, buffy eyering, rufous wings with white streaks, a rufous tail, and grayish-olive underparts.
Their distribution spans the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Rufous-bellied Niltavas thrive in the brushy undergrowth of various moist and tropical forest types, including mixed, broad-leafed, secondary, and lowland montane forests.
21. Blue-and-Gold Macaw
| Scientific Name: | Ara ararauna |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 30–34 in (76–86 cm) |
| Weight: | 31.5–53 oz (910–1,515 g) |
| Wingspan: | 41–45 in (104–114 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 60 years |
The Blue-and-Gold Macaw is a visually striking bird with vibrant plumage. Their upper bodies are covered in turquoise blue feathers, while their underparts are a stunning combination of deep yellow and light orange.
They have black beaks that match a row of black feathers that extend under their chin. Their feet are mostly gray, with black talons that add to their distinctive appearance.
These birds are highly coveted as one of the most popular and widely kept macaw species in the United States. They’re one of the more affordable macaws because they breed well in captivity and are widely available.
Blue-and-Gold Macaws are natives of Central and South America. Their range extends from Venezuela south to Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and portions of Panama.
These birds prefer humid environments like woods near rivers and swamps, although they can also be found on a grassy savannah if there are large trees there.
Learn more about these blue birds with orange chests by watching this video:
22. Red-breasted Nuthatch
| Scientific Name: | Sitta canadensis |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 4.1–5 in (10–12.7 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.3–0.5 oz (8.5–14 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7.1–7.9 in (18–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 6 years |
The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a little songbird that’s characterized by a blue-gray back, an orange belly, a white throat, and black eye stripes.
Red-breasted Nuthatches exhibit sexual monomorphism, with both males and females having an identical appearance.
However, it is worth noting that females and juveniles may display slightly duller heads and paler underparts compared to their adult male counterparts.
These small birds mostly consume insects and seeds, and they get their English name from the way they like to wedge a big piece of food in a gap before hacking away at it with their powerful bills.
The breeding range for Red-breasted Nuthatches includes the northern and western United States and Canada, as well as Alaska. In the winter, they may make it to northern Mexico.
They mostly inhabit coniferous woods, though they also frequent shrubland, orchards, and plantations.
23. Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher
| Scientific Name: | Cyornis tickelliae |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 4.3–4.7 in (11–12 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.4–0.6 oz (11–17 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7–8.2 in (18–21 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 6 years |
The Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher is a beautiful bird with blue plumage, an orange chest, and a white belly.
Females have duller blue plumage, with brighter hues of blue on their brows, shoulders, and tails. As opposed to adults, juveniles have brown heads and chests, with just their wings and tails being blue.
Although they are wary birds, it is not uncommon to see them in backyard gardens. This species prefers the shady environments of the forest and can often be found along forested riverbanks.
Moreover, flying insects are their primary food source, but they also eat ground-dwelling insects like termites and earwigs.
The Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher’s breeding range extends from the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka to the islands of Indonesia.
They favor habitats with low humidity, like dry forests, brushlands, bamboo groves, and even gardens.
24. Chinese Blue Flycatcher
| Scientific Name: | Cyornis glaucicomans |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5.5–6 in (14–15 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.2–0.3 oz (6–8.5 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.8–12.2 in (25–31 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 15 years |
The Chinese Blue Flycatcher is a beautiful blue bird with an orange chest that is well-known for its stunning beauty and melodic song.
The upperparts of these birds, including the head, wings, and tail, are covered with bright blue plumage that serves as a defining feature.
Their underparts are primarily orange, making for a striking contrast with the bird’s blue upperparts.
Chinese Blue Flycatchers live mainly in forested regions throughout their range, which extends from eastern China to Southeast Asia.
They prefer habitats with a dense understory and are frequently seen in forests, parks, gardens, forested regions, and mangroves.
25. Blue-capped Rock Thrush
| Scientific Name: | Monticola cinclorhyncha |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 6.3–7.5 in (16–19 cm) |
| Weight: | 1–1.4 oz (30–40 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.8–12.2 in (25–31 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 10 years |
The Blue-capped Rock Thrush is a small to medium-sized blue bird with an orange chest that belongs to the family Muscicapidae.
Male Blue-capped Rock Thrushes are characterized by their white wing patch, blue crown, and throat, as well as an orange rump and underparts.
Meanwhile, females lack the buff neck patch seen on males and instead have uniformly olive-brown upperparts.
Blue-capped Rock Thrushes have a flexible approach to foraging, which includes surveying their surroundings from tree vantage points and occasionally descending to the ground.
When hunting on the ground, they use their bill to skillfully turn over leaf litter in search of insects, snails, worms, and even lizards and frogs.
Blue-capped Rock Thrushes are migratory birds that make their home in the Himalayan foothills.
During the winter months, they can be found in the Western Ghats region of India as well as other parts of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
26. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
| Scientific Name: | Dicaeum trigonostigma |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 3.5–4.7 in (9–12 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.1–0.4 oz (3–11 g) |
| Wingspan: | 4.3–4.7 in (11–12 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 6 years |
The Orange-bellied Flowerpecker is a fascinating bird due to its distinctive looks. These birds are easily distinguished by the huge orange patch on their bellies that contrasts with their slaty blue crown, wings, and tail.
They also have narrow, short bills that curve slightly downward towards the tip, which they utilize for consuming nectar from flowers.
The Orange-bellied Flowerpecker’s feeding habits, which rely on nectar and fruit, highlight their significant function as a pollinator and seed disperser in their habitat.
These beautiful birds can be seen in Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
They flourish in densely forested places and along the edges of woods, where they thrive with the lush vegetation that grows there.
27. Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush
| Scientific Name: | Monticola rufiventris |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 8.2–9 in (21–23 cm) |
| Weight: | 1.7–2.1 oz (48–60 g) |
| Wingspan: | 9.8–11.8 in (25–30 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 7 years |
The Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush is a captivating sight with its stunning combination of vibrant blue plumage and a striking orange belly.
They rely on insects like beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and spiders for the majority of their diet. They’re also known to eat berries and tiny fruits as a supplement to their diet.
This species of bird can be found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent, extending eastward toward portions of Southeast Asia.
Countries including India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam are home to these lovely birds.
They frequent rocky areas, such as cliffs, gorges, and steep slopes, where they can build nests and use the high ground for hunting food.
28. Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher
| Scientific Name: | Cyornis rubeculoides |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |
| Length: | 5.5–6 in (14–15 cm) |
| Weight: | 0.3–0.7 oz (8–20 g) |
| Wingspan: | 7–8 in (18–20 cm) |
| Lifespan: | Up to 10 years |
Small and brightly colored, the Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher is a member of the Muscicapidae family. The males of this species stand out for having vibrant blue upperparts and bright orange chests.
In contrast, females are olive-colored all throughout except for their chests, which are a less distinct creamy orange.
Although they look similar to other Blue Flycatchers, this species can be distinguished by their wide blue throat and limited orange underparts.
Moreover, Blue-throated Blue Flycatchers are charming singers. They sing melodically, combining whistling, warbling, and chattering notes with frequent variations.
This species is widespread over the Indian subcontinent and can be found in the Himalayas, Bangladesh, the Arakan, and the Tenasserim Hills in Myanmar.
If you have any knowledge or experiences regarding these lovely blue birds with orange chests, share them in the comment section below! Feel free to also ask any questions you may have about these colorful avian wonders!
