7 female birds that look wildly different from their mates

The female indigo bunting is far from indigo. But, actually, even the male isn’t blue. Unlike, for example, the blue jay, males don’t have any blue pigment in their feathers. Their plumage is black but refracts light; this is why we perceive them as blue. Guess “black bunting” sounded too much like a morbid baby sleeping bag.

Male wood ducks have to be one of the most stunning North American waterfowl species. You can’t miss them. Females don’t have the same amount of technicolour iridescence, but you can spot their shiny blue wing patches and the white “tear drop” eye markings if you look for them.

Who wouldn’t be able to ID a male red-wing? His name tells you what to look for. A female has no red anywhere on her streaky body—though some older females can have orange feathers at their throats or shoulders.

Not many birds are as eye-catching as the male rose-breasted grosbeak. Look at that red chest! Hot. You know, for a bird. The female? Kinda meh. But like other grosbeaks, these birds have a recognizable, thick, cone-shaped bill, capable of cracking cherry pits.

Female crossbills are yellow, not red. We’re not the Naming Police, but why can’t the bird’s common name be the “yellow crossbill”? Regardless, a lady crossbill is easy to ID given that unusual criss-crossed beak.

If you’re only familiar with one duck, it’s probably the mallard—they’re spread throughout North America (plus Europe and Asia). Female mallards look almost identical to black ducks—the two species are closely related. Mallards are paler overall though, with an orange-and-black bill, not a yellow one.

The males of this chunky finch species are the colour of raspberry sorbet all year long. Apparently, that’s not enough to draw in their drabber mates. During the breeding season, they “dance” to attract them, fluffing their feathers and hopping around.