bluewinged

Bluewinged, or blue-winged, is a common English descriptive name used for various species that display a blue or bluish patch on the wings. It is not a taxonomic group or a single organism; rather, it is a vernacular element that appears in the common names of diverse birds, insects, and other animals, as well as some plants. The term typically denotes a conspicuous blue mark on the wings that is visible during flight or at rest.

One well-known example is the blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanura), a small migratory songbird of eastern North America. The species is named for the blue wing markings visible in flight. It breeds in the eastern United States and southern Canada and winters in parts of the Caribbean and northern South America. Its song and distinctive plumage help distinguish it from visually similar warblers.

Another common use is the blue-winged teal (Anas discors), a dabbling duck found across much of North America. The name refers to the blue patch on its wings that is most evident when the bird is in flight. The blue-winged teal is highly migratory, with breeding grounds across Canada and Alaska and wintering habitats in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

In other groups, blue-winged appears in various regional common names for insects and plants with blue-wing-like wing coloration. Because "bluewinged" is a descriptive term rather than a scientific designation, the same name may apply to multiple, unrelated species in different regions.