Indigo Bunting
(Passerina cyanea)
Adult Male
Photo: Ron Austing
Size : 5 1/2 inches long
Description : Male - In the sun, its plumage is a brilliant saphire blue. In the shade, it may appear black.
Female - Brown, shy
Preferred Habitat: Roadsides, brush, edges of woods
Preferred food : Buntings are finches, therefore, basically, seed-eaters Eat many seeds, but favorites are grasses,
dandelion, goldenrod, asters, lamb's quarters, and smartweed. Also, eat small fruit such as
blackberries, elderberries, and raspberries. Their diet includes grasshoppers,crickets, flies, wasps,
beetles and caterpillars, as well.
They prefer to eat on the ground, but will also come to low platform feeders.
Breeding Range : Common across eastern half of North America, from Canada to Texas and Forida.
Winter Range : Mexico, Panama, and the West Indies
Interesting Facts: Song sounds like "sweet-sweet, where-where, here-here, see-it, see-it"
Only the male sings, and usually conducts his concert from the highest perch it can find.
One of few birds to sing whole-heartedly at midday, in the heat of July and August, when most
are hiding in the shade. The singing ceases with the August molt.
Sometimes they come to feeders for wheat and nutmeats.
May be attracted to a birdbath