Bluethroat Luscinia svecica

Identification Tips:

• Length: 4.75 inches
• Small, thin-billed bird
• White supercilium
• Dark legs
• North American range restricted to northern Alaska

Adult male:

• Blue throat with brown patch in center
• Black and brown breast bands
• Gray-brown upperparts
• White underparts
• Rusty patches in tail

Female and immature:

• Plumage similar to adult male except lacking blue and brown areas on throat
• White throat
• Black breast band

Similar species:

The male Bluethroat is instantly identifiable. Females and immatures can be indentified by their white throats, dark breast bands and rust patches in the tail.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.