blue grosbeak

noun

1. a grosbeak, Guiraca caerulea, of the U.S., Mexico, and Central America, the male of which is blue with two rusty bars on each wing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of blue grosbeak¹

An Americanism dating back to 1720–30

Example Sentences

A friend had reported a bird — specifically, a blue grosbeak — hanging out by the airport near their Rockford, Illinois, home, so they hopped into their car and raced over to see it.

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She lives in Kensington and first visited RedGate last summer when news spread that a blue grosbeak had been spotted there.

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Blue grosbeak, diamondback terrapins and northern snapping turtles also are spotted regularly.

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Other new breeding species include the eastern meadowlark, known for its sharp call; the blue grosbeak, a striking blue relative of the cardinal; and the bobolink, a bumblebee-colored blackbird that migrates 12,500 miles annually.

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Ornithologists suggest that it is either a mutation of the Dickcissel or a hybrid of Dickcissel and Blue Grosbeak, she said.

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