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“WHAT'S THAT BIRD? IT'S RED, GREEN, BLUE!”

PAINTED BUNTING – A BIRD LIKE NO OTHER

 

 

 By Neil Stalter

 

Painted Buntings belong to royalty. The male of this species has been described as the most beautiful of North American birds – even nicknamed the “Nonpariel” meaning without equal.

 

Its plumage comes to full glory in the male's second year. Until then, he and his sisters are an  indistinguishable yellow-green. This new world relative of Sparrows and Cardinals may be shy and secretive, skulking in the foliage to find seeds, but takes magnetically to feeding stations. There, the Painted Bunting becomes friendly and chipper, almost a member of the family scene. (Just ask Deb Fletcher about her experiences.)

 

Although these birds are supposed to be winter residents exclusively in Florida, they can be prodded to stay year-round by diligent feeder-fillers. They breed in meadow areas primarily to our north and west – and large flocks winter in Mexico. It is a sad but reather common practice for poachers south of the border to capture and cage this colorful bird, sometimes for shipping at high prices to collectors in Europe and Asia.

 

Once you behold this bright Bunting on a sunny day, you will hold that memory forever. Sight of its bold red back and underside, interrupted by wings of green in several shadings, and topped by a deep full-bodied blue head, simply will not fade. Some say it's the work of Ariana, the Greek goddess of color . . . indeed, the Painted Bunting brings an other worldly palette to the bird kingdom.

 

This finch measures less than 6” in length and its voice can barely match a bumblebee's – sounds like a low “vvvits” to the trained ear. Its nest is neatly woven into a low vine or thicket and welcomes three-four eggs for incubation by the female alone. Breeding takes place in the May-August frame. Like many small songbirds, the Painted Bunting's nest can be hacked by Cowbirds causing the smaller bird to raise the Cowbird offspring, often at the expense of the fledgling buntings.