Indigo Bunting
Classification: Kingdom: Animalia | Phylum: Chordata | Class: Aves | Order: Passeriformes | Family: Cardinalidae | Genus: Passerina | Species: Passerina cyanea
Brief Description
The Indigo Bunting is a small, vibrantly colored finch known for the striking blue plumage of the male during breeding season.
Additional Information
- Region of Origin: Eastern North America
- Typical Sighting Period: Breeding season (late spring and summer) in the eastern United States and southern Canada. Migrates to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean for the winter.
- Plumage Details: Adult males in breeding plumage are a brilliant, iridescent blue. Females and non-breeding males are a dull brown with streaky undersides.
- Ecological Significance: Indigo Buntings play a role in seed dispersal through their diet and contribute to the food chain as prey for larger birds and animals.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern
- Observation Tips: Look for Indigo Buntings in brushy areas, along forest edges, and in open woodlands. Listen for the male's cheerful, high-pitched song, which is often sung from a high perch.