Mountain Bluebird (Female)

In October we saw some beautiful male mountain bluebirds near Black Mesa in the Oklahoma panhandle (a first). On Christmas day, in Live Oak Canyon near our home, we saw a number of female mountain bluebirds (also firsts). 

Note the white eye ring, the rusty wash on the belly and white edging on the flight feathers. 

They have a thin white eye ring; have a tinge of pale blue in the wings and tail; can have a pale rusty wash on the breast, like the ones we saw, or a gray wash; and white edging on the flight feathers help to distinguish it from a western bluebird.  

Note the pale blue on tail. 

Juveniles can have sparse spotting on the back and belly. 

Note the blue on the wings and spotting on the chest.