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Birders
Related: About this forumMale Blue Grosbeak, a rare and colorful visitor to a garden in the East Village, NYC

Manhattan Bird Alert
''According to genetic evidence, the Lazuli Bunting is the Blue Grosbeaks closest relative.
Migrating grosbeaks pass through the Caribbean Islands including Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Antilles, the Swan Islands, the Cayman Islands, and the Virgin Islands.''
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Grosbeak/overview
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Male Blue Grosbeak, a rare and colorful visitor to a garden in the East Village, NYC (Original Post)
Donkees
Apr 2024
OP
riversedge
(75,054 posts)1. Mother Nature outdoes herself with this lovely blue bird.
Donkees
(32,770 posts)2. She's also kind to have such a treasure appear in Manhattan

Jorja Feldman/Audubon Photography Awards
Deuxcents
(21,798 posts)3. They've come a long way to visit..
Donkees
(32,770 posts)4. Seems one was filmed eating bees in Manhattan a few years ago
In early May 2017, a young blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) was chowing down on bees at the beehive at Battery Park (at the southern tip of Manhattan). It stayed around for a few days, and I filmed the youngster on May 10 and 11.
The bird flitted around the hives, grabbing many bees at it could gobble, then he would fly off to a nearby tree and return to eat some more. We would call out when he'd appear from behind, beneath or in front of a beehive. The little guy was quite active, and the Filming the Feathers video is almost as jumpy as he was. It is set to one of the London Trios by Franz Joseph Haydn, obtained from MusOpen.org.
I have since seen other blue grosbeaks, including this young grosbeak at Mount Loretto Unique Area on Staten Island, August 8, 2021. This slideshow shows several views of the young bird.
https://www.pmsaga.com/blue-grosbeak
The bird flitted around the hives, grabbing many bees at it could gobble, then he would fly off to a nearby tree and return to eat some more. We would call out when he'd appear from behind, beneath or in front of a beehive. The little guy was quite active, and the Filming the Feathers video is almost as jumpy as he was. It is set to one of the London Trios by Franz Joseph Haydn, obtained from MusOpen.org.
I have since seen other blue grosbeaks, including this young grosbeak at Mount Loretto Unique Area on Staten Island, August 8, 2021. This slideshow shows several views of the young bird.
https://www.pmsaga.com/blue-grosbeak
Hekate
(97,244 posts)5. He's a gorgeous little fellow!
Fla Dem
(26,509 posts)6. Beautiful!! I'm jealous!

Donkees
(32,770 posts)7. ''Blue Grosbeaks breed in central and northern Florida generally north of Lake Okeechobee''
I've never seen one either
https://www.stlucieaudubon.org/hart-beat-2022/2022/10/29/hart-beat-blue-grosbeaks
SergeStorms
(19,575 posts)8. Beautiful.
We get the Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks here, but I've never seen a Blue Grosbeak in the wild before.
You're very fortunate.
surfered
(6,207 posts)9. Beautiful. Great photo, thanks for sharing.
Were on a migratory path for hummingbirds, orioles, warblers, indigo buntings, northern perils, among others.
niyad
(123,239 posts)10. Amazing colour and detail. What a catch!
iluvtennis
(21,138 posts)11. Stunning!! - thanks for sharing. n/t