Did You Know?
The blue color of most birds and animals is a result of different pigmentation, but unlike the majority, the blue jay bird gets its color because of light interference caused by the natural, internal structure of the feathers. If a blue feather is destroyed, the blue fades or disappears because of the disturbance in the structure (structural coloration).
Blue has always been a striking color, a quick glance towards the blue sky is enough to soothe your eyes. Moreover, the vast blue-gray oceans and seas lend our Earth the sobriquet of the 'Blue planet'. The color blue looks truly splendid when seen in nature.
Though abundant in nature, blue is a rare occurrence in the animal kingdom. Sometimes, the color "blue" may also refer to gray, when a coat color is being described, especially in dogs, cats, or horses. But, there are some animals which are truly blue.
Mention blue and animals, and the blue whale comes to mind, the largest mammal on Earth. But, there are many many more. Some of them may be very common but some are quite rare. Nonetheless, all are beautiful! We have tried to list out some of them.
The animals mentioned below are listed according to their species and habitat―ocean animals, birds, and others (a mix of all different animals).
List of Blue-colored Ocean Animals
![]()
Blue Starfish
This starfish is commonly found in the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the waters near Indonesia. It has a dark or light blue color and some may have spots on the body. It can be found near coral reefs or sometimes on soft sand.
➨ Interesting Fact: Unfortunately, these beautiful sea stars are very easy to collect. People take collect them, dry them, and use or sell them as ornaments.
![]()
Blue Tang
This Indo-Pacific surgeonfish is known by many names like the regal tang, palette surgeonfish, or flagtail surgeonfish. It is well-known among the aquarium-lovers, in spite of not being a sturdy fish. This fish helps coral growth by clearing algae around it.
➨ Interesting Fact: Blue tangs have an ability to make themselves semi-transparent if they are threatened or exposed to dark areas.
![]()
Blue lobster
This is a very rare blue animal, because it is estimated that one in 2 million lobsters are blue. It is a mutant or variant of the American lobster, which is the heaviest crustacean in the world. There have been other color variations too.
➨ Interesting Fact: Recently, in August 2014, a blue lobster was caught in Maine. It was donated to the local aquarium where they have 3 other blue lobsters.
![]()
Humphead Wrasse
This huge (males can grow up to max 6-ft) fish is the largest in its family and is also known as the Napoleonfish. They are found near coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific waters. Juveniles are red-orange, but the adults are bluish-green.
➨ Interesting Fact: These gentle giants live a long life, females live up to 50 years and males live up to 45 years. Unfortunately, they have a slow breeding rate.
![]()
Blue-ringed Octopus
These species live in tide pools and reefs of the Indo-Pacific waters. They have a yellowish skin with bright blue rings. They are docile, but can bite if provoked. The bite is highly poisonous, and there is no antivenom available yet.
➨ Interesting Fact: This is one of the deadliest marine animals. In spite of the small size, its venom is powerful enough to kill 26 humans within minutes.
![]()
Blue Spotted Pufferfish
These beautiful Pufferfish belong to the genus "
Canthigaster". All the members are known as sharp-nosed or Tobies. They lack pelvic fins, hence have adapted to move around with pectoral fins.
➨ Interesting Fact: These are kept as pets by many aquarium enthusiasts. They need an fish-only tank, because they might eat the invertebrates in a reef tank.
![]()
Ribbon Eel
This is a species of moray eel and resembles a Chinese dragon because of its thin body and high dorsal fins. It is found in the Indo-Pacific ocean and is recognized because of its expanded anterior nostrils. The juveniles are black with a yellow fin, and the females are yellow with a black anal fin. The adult males have a blue and yellow color.
➨ Interesting Fact: The ribbon eel is the only Moray eel that has male organs in its initial years and then has female sexual organs.
![]()
Blue Crab
This type of crab is native to the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Males and females can be distinguished by the shape of their abdomen and the red-colored claw tips of the female. The blue color is a result of pigmentation, which breaks down after cooking. They turn red or pink on being cooked. These feed on small fish and plants too.
➨ Interesting Fact: Louisiana harvests almost 22% of the nation's blue crab. It has kept a steady harvest since 1990, after Maryland started having problems with harvesting.
Blue-colored Birds
![]()
Hyacinth Macaw
This beautiful, blue bird is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot. It should not be confused with Lear's macaw, because the latter is smaller in size. These birds are fast becoming rare due to rampant pet trade. They are recognized as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. It has a small range in the wild, and they are popularly kept as pets.
➨ Interesting Fact: The toucan is a predator of the Hyacinth macaw, but sadly the latter is dependent on the first. The manduvi tree is needed for reproduction, and the seeds are spread by the predators.
![]()
Peafowl
The peafowl, the male bird of the peacock species, has a long tail, which amounts to almost 60% of its total body length. The female, or peahen, has no tail. The blue/Indian peafowl is native to the Indian subcontinent. The tail has beautiful eye-spotted designs which are judged by the females during courtship. The peacocks are said to be polygamous and will mate with many females.
➨ Interesting Fact: Peacocks have thorn-like structures on their legs. These are useful only in territorial fights.
![]()
Blue Dacnis
This small blue bird has a huge range from Panama to northern Argentina. It has an alternative name "turquoise honeycreeper", but it is not a honeycreeper. They can be distinguished because of their long bills. Blue dacnises feed on insects, flowers, and fruits.
➨ Interesting Fact: In spite of the name, only the adult males are turquoise blue in color. The adult females and juveniles are green in color with a blue head.
![]()
Purple Honeycreeper
The bird is characterized by its long, decurved, black bill. The male has a purple color, and the juveniles and females have a greenish color. They all have bright yellow legs but they can turn pale in captivity. It flies in small groups and feeds on nectar, berries, and insects.
➨ Interesting Fact: These small birds are very bold, which can be seen when they try to scare away their predator (mobbing), the Ferruginous pygmy owl.
![]()
Eurasian Blue Tit
This small birds are yellowish when young, and turn blue as adults. The yellow-green color of the abdomen is due to feeding on many yellow-green caterpillars! They are found in many forests and have the ability to hang upside down for finding food.
➨ Interesting Fact: The male and the female look almost the same. But, when seen under ultraviolet rays, a brighter blue crown is seen in males.
![]()
Mountain bluebird
The dark blue color is for the males, while the females have a paler blue color. These birds are found all over North America. They fly in flocks in winter and feed on insects, berries, worms, and peanuts. They are monogamous in nature.
➨ Interesting Fact: This bird is a relative of the Eastern and Western Bluebirds and is the state bird of Nevada and Idaho.
![]()
Common Kingfisher
This small kingfisher has 7 subspecies, spread all round its range in Eurasia and North Africa. It has a short tail and has beautiful feathers. It feeds by diving in the water. It has special visual adaptations that help it to spot its prey underwater.
➨ Interesting Fact: This bird normally keeps regurgitating pellets of fish bones and other undigested remains, a few times every day.
![]()
Blue Jay
This is a bird found in North America and is recognized by its blue wings and a white chest. Both the male and female look similar. They feed on nuts, corn, and insects. They are very territorial and can turn aggressive if provoked.
➨ Interesting Fact: The blue jay is a very noisy bird, and it will scream to chase away its predators. This warns other small birds, which saves them.
![]()
Blue Starling
There are two subspecies, viz., lesser blue-eared and greater blue-eared starling. They are seen commonly in their range in parts of eastern and southern Africa. Both the male and the female have a similar color, but the juveniles have a slightly dull color.
➨ Interesting Fact: In some conditions, the starling bird nests may have eggs of the great spotted cuckoo or the greater honeyguide.
Other Blue-colored Animals
![]()
Ulysses butterfly
These are commonly seen on pink flowered Doughwood trees in many parts of Australasia, because they feed and breed there. The downsides of the blue wings are brown, so when it is sitting still, all you see is brown. The caterpillars are green in color and feed on leaves.
➨ Interesting Fact: The male butterflies get attracted to all things blue, mostly just because they think that they are females.
![]()
Hypselodoris infucata
This is a colorful species of a sea slug. It is found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean. It is a marine mollusk which sheds its shell after the larval stage. It mostly feeds on sponge. Its distribution is large because it is found in almost all seas.
➨ Interesting Fact: They have colorful bodies without shells. Their bodies warn the predators that they are distasteful or poisonous.
![]()
Dyeing Dart Frog
This species of frog is found in Brazil, Guyana, and French Guiana. The poison produced in the skin is used as a self-defense and is highly toxic. It is the largest among all the poison dart frogs. The females are larger than the males and have arched backs.
➨ Interesting Fact: The local tribes pluck feathers from a small portion on the back of young parrots, then these frogs are rubbed on the parrot's bare back. The toxin in the frog causes the feathers to grow yellow or red, and not the usual green.
![]()
Blue Poison Dart Frog
The controversy surrounding this frog is about whether it is a morph or a different species. However, it is blue and beautiful! As the name suggests, it is very poisonous and can paralyze or kill a predator. It has a hunchback posture and every individual has a different pattern of black spots.
➨ Interesting Fact: The toxicity of these frogs is dependent on its diet. Hence, when they are kept in captivity, they tend to lose their toxicity because of a restricted diet.
![]()
Steelblue Ladybird
This is a small, round, ladybird which has a beautiful blue-green color. It is known to eat a lot in the larval stage. It is native to Australia and feeds on aphids, mites, and other small insects. It has a hard wing-cover which hides the antenna and legs, and protects it from ants.
➨ Interesting Fact: These small insects were introduced to New Zealand specially to control the pests on citrus trees. It helps in keeping roses and other ornamentals safe too.
![]()
Blue Dasher
The blue color of this dragonfly is restricted to the adult males. The females and juveniles have yellow stripes on a darker-colored body. It is found all over the United States and in some parts of Canada. It is found near water bodies, because the females lay eggs there.
➨ Interesting Fact: This dragonfly has only one defense mechanism, its flying speed. It can fly at a speed of 18 - 35 mph.
![]()
Blue-headed Agama
These lizards have been found in many different habitats, from savannah to forests. They live in colonies where there is an alpha male who rules over all the subordinate males and females. It is a semi-arboreal and diurnal lizard.
➨ Interesting Fact: The blue-head is restricted to the males. Also, it displays the color mostly while feeding, when it's hot, or during the breeding season.
![]()
Carpathian Blue Slug
It is a large, terrestrial slug that is found in the Carpathian Mountains of Eastern Europe. The males and the females look similar, but the juveniles have a pale yellow to brown color. The juveniles have been observed to hibernate.
➨ Interesting Fact: The male and the female mate in the soil and almost 30 - 80 eggs are laid in a clutch. The adults die after the egg deposition.
![]()
Blue Damselfly
Damselfly is not a dragonfly but similar to it. The blue damselfly is found near rivers and ponds, all around Europe. It has a beautiful coloration of blue and black. The males and the females are often seen mating over water bodies, and the larvae live and feed in the water.
➨ Interesting Fact: This damselfly is very similar to the Azure Damselfly, but the former has a brighter and more blue color than the latter.
![]()
Blue Iguana
This is one of the largest lizards and is found only on the Grand Cayman island. It is highly endangered and prefers rocky areas in dry forests. Being a herbivore, it feeds mainly on leaves, fruits, and other vegetation. The male is blue, but the female is olive green.
➨ Interesting Fact: This large lizard has the ability to detect UV rays, which helps it to absorb enough amount of UVA and UVB to produce vitamin D.
![]()
Bluestripe Garter Snake
These are quite common in Florida and are seen anywhere, because they are active during the day. They feed on worms, frogs, and fish. It is a terrestrial snake and also is a great swimmer. They have small amounts of venom which is not harmful to humans.
➨ Interesting Fact: The beautiful Bluestripe garter snake is a subspecies of the Common Garter, and is found only in Florida and nowhere else.
