Found in the southern United States and Central America
Hear Their Calls
If a living rainbow visits your backyard, it just might be a Painted Bunting. The males have bright blue heads, red bellies, and green, multi-hued wings, while females and immature males are vibrant lime green. Even with their brilliant coloring, they can be tough to spot because they like to forage for seeds and insects on the ground in brushy areas or low trees. Unfortunately, these birds are still trapped and sold as caged birds in many countries due to their prismatic feathers.
You can go looking for a Painted Bunting right now in Texas and northern Mexico, where they’re hanging out for the summer.
Fun fact: Males are territorial and will sing their songs from a raised perch to mark their territories—which is a great time to spot them!
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