Painted Bunting

Organisms / Vertebrates / Birds

Passerina ciris

Corkscrew Swamp Audubon Sanctuary, Naples (26.371N, 81.599W)

March 15, 2008

Photograph by Andre Moncrieff

 

Descriptive Information

Field Marks: Blue head, green back and wings, and red eye-ring, throat, rump, and underparts for the adult male; the female is a nearly uniform bright green.
Size: Length 5.5 inches (14.0 cm), Wingspan 8.75 inches (22.2 cm), Weight 0.54 ounces (15.5 grams)
General Habitat:
Range: South-central and southeast United States, with some vagrancy throughout the U.S.

Field Observations
Both male and female were observed coming to a feeder in a small clearing among some shrubs and small trees. The female was not as shy as the male, and would use exposed perches before coming to the feeders. However, the male was more difficult to observe as it would remain hidden in the bushes before flying directly to the feeder. After some time at the feeder the birds would leave, only to return after a few minutes. We almost always heard their pwich calls emanating from the bushes before we saw them at the feeders.

References
Sibley, David Allen. National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2000.

Additional Photographs/Videos
Male in Bushes
Female - front view
Female - back view

Page developed by Andre Moncrieff and Libby Megna