Native bird with blue feathers

In Germany there are a small handful of birds that are adorned with blue feathers. This guide will introduce you to the native species with shades of blue in their plumage.

Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

• Feathers on crown, wing tips and tail colored blue
• Wings change from green to blue
• Completely yellow underside, white face with black eye and chin stripes
• light weight of about 10 g
• Size of about 12 cm
• Standing birds all over Germany
• Habitat includes deciduous or mixed forests, as well as forest edges, open cultural landscapes and, less often, urban areas
• recognizable by the trilling tii-tii

Tip: Blue tits you can often see them hanging upside down on trees, poles or other climbing opportunities due to their low weight. The little birds are very agile.

Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)

• Wing fields are colored intensely blue
• pink to reddish brown basic color, wings and forehead with characteristic black and white markings
• with black beard stripes
• becomes about 35 cm tall
• Partial puller who can be found all over Germany
• prefers light forests as living space, not infrequently found in gardens and urban areas
• shouts with a clearly recognizable squawk-out sound
• often imitates hawks or woodpeckers

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

• is the only species of the genus Alcedo in Central Europe
• Upper side completely colored cobalt to azure blue, light areas recognizable
• Underside orange to russet, throat and neck with white spot
• 17 to 20 cm tall
• occurs as a resident bird all over Germany
• slow rivers, brooks and quarry ponds with a large abundance of fish are inhabited
• mainly hunts fish that are caught with the powerful beak
• calls out in a distinctive ziii

Note: The kingfisher is more often confused with the blue elk (Monticola solitarius) or blue magpie (Cyanopica cyana), although these are not native to Germany. You sometimes get lost in the south and especially in the Alps.

Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)

• complete upper side colored blue-gray, pronounced black eye stripe
• The underside is bright orange
• male specimens with red-brown flanks
• 12 to 15 cm tall with a compact build
• about 10% of the worldwide nuthatch population can be found in Germany
• it is a resident bird that is extremely faithful to its location
• open forest areas, gardens, city parks and other urban areas are inhabited
• opens nuts by pinching them and working with his beak
• Reputation varies from the characteristic twett to a plaintive zit or whistling wuih wuih wuih wuih

Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)

• is considered the largest species among the pigeons (Columbidae) in Germany
• Colored completely gray-blue with a white spot on the neck
• Wings colored white underneath, clearly recognizable light yellow iris
• up to 45 cm tall
• to be found everywhere in Germany all year round
• preferred habitats include urban as well as forest areas and meadows
• always stay in groups
• to be recognized by the cooing

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

• is the most common swimming duck in Germany and Europe
• Feathers of the wings of both sexes partly iridescent blue and clearly recognizable
• Males in gray basic color, green head with white collar, chest brownish, yellow beak and legs in orange
• Females in beige-brown basic color, brown patterned, orange legs, beak in gray-orange
• grow up to 60 cm
• usually found as a couple and with chicks or in large groups
• preferred habitat are all possible bodies of water in Germany, even garden ponds
• breed even in cities
• they are resident birds
• the call is the typical croaking of ducks

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