There’s a running joke on social media that as you hit middle age, bird-watching suddenly appeals to you as it never did before. While I still wouldn’t consider myself a highly proficient birder, I have been trying to improve my identification skills, especially for the birds frequently seen around northwest Florida.

If you’ve ever spent any time in the tropics, though, you know the brilliant lineup of bird species native to these regions can make a bird enthusiast out of anyone. In Costa Rica earlier this spring, I was treated to several sightings of a small baby blue and gray bird within the city and the forest. I followed one along a bridge walkover, and it was comfortable enough with people not to fly off as I approached to take photos. Later, I saw one on the edge of a river, high in the tree canopy searching for food. According to the “Wildlife of Costa Rica” guide I purchased, I had been watching the aptly named blue-gray tanager (Thraupis episcopus). It’s known as the “blue jean” in Trinidad and Tobago, an accurate nickname as the birds absolutely matched the color of a pair of faded jeans.

At one point in North American history, these little birds became popular pets. As often goes with exotic animals, owners would eventually tire of caring for them and set them free. From this, a wild population grabbed a foothold in Miami long enough to be included in the “tanager” section of a Golden field guide from the mid 1960’s. By the 1980’s, these birds—likely struggling away from their tropical homeland—faded out of the scene and are rarely seen in the United States. Now, my Peterson Field Guide to birds only includes the Summer, Scarlet, and Western Tanagers. Blue-grays do live in Mexico, though, so not too far away. Their native range also includes Central America and the northern half of South America, where they are non-migratory residents.

Unlike most bird species, males and females share the same brilliant blue coloration. They will feed on insects but prefer fruit. Perhaps due to their adaptability to habitats both urban and along forest edges, blue-gray tanagers are considered a species of “least concern,” meaning their populations are stable and healthy.

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