Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) is in the Cardinals and Allies family (Cardinalidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 19,901 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Blue Grosbeak: observations by month (U.S.)
About Blue Grosbeak
The blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea, formerly Guiraca caerulea), is a medium-sized seed-eating bird in the same family as the northern cardinal, "tropical" or New World buntings, and "cardinal-grosbeaks" or New World grosbeaks.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Blue Grosbeak by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4,179 | April | Apr–Jul |
| California | 2,288 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Arizona | 1,472 | August | May–Sep |
| Virginia | 1,124 | May | May–Aug |
| Maryland | 952 | May | May–Sep |
| North Carolina | 939 | May | Apr–Aug |
| New Mexico | 713 | May | May–Sep |
| Delaware | 699 | May | May–Aug |
| Florida | 650 | April | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 634 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Colorado | 564 | June | May–Sep |
| Alabama | 548 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Georgia | 476 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Louisiana | 398 | April | Apr–Apr |
| South Carolina | 397 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Illinois | 381 | May | May–Aug |
| Ohio | 312 | May | May–Aug |
| Nevada | 305 | May | May–Jul |
| New Jersey | 263 | May | May–Aug |
| Arkansas | 248 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Oklahoma | 246 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Mississippi | 238 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 215 | May | May–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 203 | August | May–Sep |
| New York | 169 | April | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 149 | May | Apr–Jun |
| South Dakota | 123 | July | May–Aug |
| Indiana | 117 | May | May–Aug |
| Kansas | 116 | May | May–Aug |
| Massachusetts | 115 | April | Apr–Oct |
| Minnesota | 111 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Utah | 98 | June | May–Aug |
| Michigan | 94 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Nebraska | 93 | May | May–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 55 | May | May–Aug |
| Iowa | 47 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 33 | July | May–Jul |
| West Virginia | 25 | May | May–Aug |
| Wyoming | 20 | July | May–Sep |
| Connecticut | 17 | April | Apr–Jun |
| North Dakota | 17 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Maine | 15 | May | May–May |
| Idaho | 11 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Rhode Island | 9 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Oregon | 8 | May | May–May |
| Montana | 5 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Vermont | 5 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Washington | 5 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Cardinals and Allies)
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Summer Tanager
Painted Bunting
Black-headed Grosbeak
Western Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blue Grosbeak?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to August.
Where is Blue Grosbeak most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Arizona.