The Painted Bunting

As a member of the Cardinal family the Painted Bunting is a fairly small songbird, measuring just seven to eight inches in length. The male Painted Bunting is multicolored with a dark blue head and green back, with a bright red breast and rump. Its distinctive coloring makes it easy to identify.

The female and juvenile's plumage is a duller green making it easier to hide among the leaves unnoticed.

The Painted Bunting is a neo-tropical bird spending the breeding season in the Southeastern United States and wintering in Central America and Mexico. They prefer the heavy cover of thickets and brush and can be found along woodland edges and the heavy cover along a stream or brook. The Painted Bunting can be seen in suburban backyards and gardens if the foliage and brush is thick. They are shy birds and will not settle if there is little or no cover to hide in.

The Painted Bunting is a shy, secretive bird especially during mating season. They are solitary birds and do not flock together. Mated pairs are usually mongamous. To attract a mate, the male will sing from exposed perches and can be seen hopping on the ground. Once mated the female will lay three to four grayish-white eggs with brown spots. The female will incubate the eggs for eleven to thirteen days. The young, predominately a greenish-yellow, fledge two weeks after hatching.

The Painted Bunting are seed eaters, but they rarely visit backyard birdfeeders. Most are placed in the middle of the yard with few bushes or trees nearby. The Painted Bunting will supliment its diet with spiders, insects and caterpillars rather than visit a birdfeeder that offers little cover or protection.

The population of Painted Buntings is declining. The actual cause is not well understood but the loss of habitat and the harvesting of males for sale as caged birds are suspected. Another factor is the lack of information on this elusive bird. In spite of its bright plummage, the bird is elusive and difficult to spot. An accurate count is next to impossible. Without accurate numbers it is difficult to develop a conservation strategy.

South Carolina with its hot, humid summers is a popular breeding ground for the Painted Bunting. Backyard Birds Sanctuaries and Conservation areas such as the Audubon Center at Fransis Beidler Forest has helped but more needs to be done. We've already lost the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Carolina Parakeet. We don't want to lose the Painted Bunting as well.