Bluethroat Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBluethroat
Adult male (Red-spotted)
Small, thin thrush with a round belly. Adult males have a uniquely marked blue and orange throat. Flashes orange upper tail feathers in flight.
© Bryan Calk / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 24, 2019Female
Small thrush with an upright posture. Females have a ghosting of the male's throat pattern—a faint orange and blue band below the throat. Brown above with thick white eyebrow.
© Abhishek Das / Macaulay LibraryWest Bengal, January 23, 2018Adult male
Sings a large array of vocalizations and often mimics the songs of other species. Typically sings from a low perch or during flight.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 19, 1998Not all videos have sound
Immature
Immature birds have a white throat with dark spots or streaks across the breast and a whitish eyebrow. In flight, note orange base on tail.
© Albin Jacob / Macaulay LibraryKarnataka, December 09, 2018Juvenile
Juveniles are heavily streaked above and below with orange upper tail feathers.
© Daniel López-Velasco | Ornis Birding Expeditions / Macaulay LibraryAsturias, Principado de, June 14, 2020Adult male (Red-spotted)
Adult males have an unmistakable blue and orange throat.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 15, 2015Immature
Small, slim thrush with an upright posture. Immatures birds are brown above with a white throat bordered by dark markings. Note orange upper tail feathers.
© Lukasz Pulawski / Macaulay LibraryScotland, October 22, 2016Similar SpeciesNorthern Wheatear
Breeding male
Breeding Northern Wheatears have black wings and an unmarked breast with a light peach wash, whereas Bluethroats of all ages have gray wings and either a black necklace or a blue and orange necklace.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 24, 2013Similar SpeciesNorthern Wheatear
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Northern Wheatears have an unmarked cinnamon breast and a dark tail whereas Bluethroats of all ages have a marked breast and a reddish tail.
© Derek Stoner / Macaulay LibraryDelaware, December 23, 2010Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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