Indigo Bunting are small, sparrow-sized North American birds in the Cardinal family, Cardinalidae. They are also known as the Indigo Painted Finch, the Indigo Finch and the Indigo Bird.
Indigo Buntings are remarkable birds, with flakes of indigo pigments scattered across their wings and tails.
They are instantly recognisable by their vibrant blue plumage despite, like most other blue birds, their feathers being actually black in colour.
In fact, microscopic structures that reflect and refract blue light are responsible for providing the bird its jewel-like tint. Females and infant Indigo Buntings, however, often display a lighter brown plumage, particularly in non-breeding seasons.
Indigo Buntings can be easily attracted to your yard, they maintain a diet of small insects in the summer, particularly mealworms, and seeds in the winter.
Feeders with small seeds such as thistle are particularly helpful in attracting this species too.
They typically nest on the ground, in nests constructed from leaves and grasses.
Beyond the garden fence, Indigo Buntings can be spotted along forest edges and rural roads in summer, often heard singing from tall surfaces and poles. They migrate at night, following guidance from the stars.
Buntings are commonly found along the Western-central states of North America – making their way down to Florida.
Non-breeding season sees the bunting heading further south through Texas and Florida towards Mexico and Central America.
In the fall, their blue plumage fades orange – making them that little bit harder to identify. An easy giveaway, however, would be speckles of blue across the bird’s wings or tail.