What Bird Is That Forum

Saw this one while out walking this evening in Beaver Creek, CO. I'm thinking Western Bluebird? So far I've only seen Mountain Bluebirds but this one seems to have an orangish twinge to it which has me thinking Western.

I noticed that the photos have been edited. To what extent? Could you post the first photo without edits? Thanks!

Here they are unedited. On the edited ones just brightened them as the originals are pretty dull and can't make out the coloring well.

Thank you for the additional photos. Hopefully someone else will chime in and offer more help.

Here are my thoughts: I'm leaning towards a juvenile European Starling.

My process of elimination:

Any of the bluebirds would have a white eye ring, which I don't see in the photos.

Female Brewer’s Blackbird was my first thought, but the tail/wing ratio looks wrong.

Brown-headed Cowbird was next, but the bill is the wrong shape.

Female Red-winged Blackbird would have a more noticeably streaked breast.

Personally it looks fine for a bluebird to me, but I'm on a phone though ill check it on the computer later

I’m leaning mountain bluebird on this one but not confident

Kansabirdguy wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2026 9:29 pm I’m leaning mountain bluebird on this one but not confident

I can see the posture of a bluebird, but not much else to my eyes. I see no visible white eye ring, no rufous breast, no white under tail, no yellow gape [Western/Eastern]; and overall too dark/gray. If it is a bluebird, it has to be a Mountain then.

Young Bluebird. The gape is clearly visible, shape is generally wrong for Starling, blue on the wings and the bill is off for starling.

Kevin wrote: Tue Aug 11, 2026 1:42 am Young Bluebird. The gape is clearly visible, shape is generally wrong for Starling, blue on the wings and the bill is off for starling.

Did you intended to be more specific but forgot, or are you unwilling to narrow it down beyond 'Bluebird sp'? Me, I've avoided both of the recent immature bluebird topics like a case of Taco Bell lettuce.

Charlie Spencer wrote: Tue Aug 11, 2026 9:54 am

Kevin wrote: Tue Aug 11, 2026 1:42 am Young Bluebird. The gape is clearly visible, shape is generally wrong for Starling, blue on the wings and the bill is off for starling.

Did you intended to be more specific but forgot, or are you unwilling to narrow it down beyond 'Bluebird sp'? Me, I've avoided both of the recent immature bluebird topics like a case of Taco Bell lettuce.

Thanks Charlie, yes, Mountain Bluebird.