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I am in west central illinois and I too saw this blue bird with a yellow beak.  It stopped off to eat some bird seed and was about the size of a sparrow maybe a little smaller, a beautiful blue with a bright yellow beak.  I hope he or she comes back.

You are probably the millionth person to say "blue bird with yellow beak." The problem is that there is no such thing. There is the Indigo Bunting, which is blue, which probably is the bird you saw, but doesn't have a yellow beak. I think we need to re-define yellow.

I do apologize if this is slightly out of context, but I'm new to this group of bird lovers. I have a similar problem with identifying a blue bird.  It's definitely not an indigo bunting as it's not as brilliant. I've done some research and everything points to a Blue Bunting. I've posted a link of a picture I found that looks exactly like the bird I have at my feeder. I'm hoping someone can tell me it IS a Blue Bunting because I live in NY state and from what I understand, that bird would be quite rare up in these parts. If it is what I think it is, it must have Map quested directions down south!  = )

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i5971id.html

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Alas!  I captured the one from Elba, NY on digital camera!!  But I don't have a url to post the pic to...help!!

 

OK I created a photo gallery under 'Gypsy Sweet'  not sure how you guys will find it in the whatbird photos...but there is the picture!  When I took the photo, it seemed like he stood up taller - which made him look thinner.  Previous sightings had him looking little and more like a sparrow.  In this pic, I'll admit, he sure does look like an Indigo Bunting.  however, you can clearly see in the photo that his bill appears yellow.  I know that Indigo Bunting's feathers aren't really blue - they are black - but when light hits them the refraction causes the feathers to appear blue to our eyes.  I suppose the same thing could be going on with the color of the beak (appearing yellow).  But it sure has been exciting!!  Enjoy!

Good picture.... it looks a lot like a male Blue Grosbeak, but with only one reddish wingbar (and not the standard two).  The beak doesn't seem all that yellow to me, though.

That bird looks just like the indigo bunting in my Sibley. The bill is not yellow - the flowers in this picture are yellow.