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Every spring and summer, birders go in search of the superbly colorful birds that come back to the temperate US from tropical regions — including the Painted Bunting. It just doesn’t seem possible that one bird could pack so much visual impact onto a body that’s only slightly larger than a goldfinch. Painted Buntings nest in nearly all of Texas and in adjoining states to the east, as well as the coastal lowlands of the Southeast. By the time winter settles in, though, South Florida is the place to look.
Support for BirdNote comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, presenting its new “Bird Photography” online course, featuring Melissa Groo. Learn more at academy.allaboutbirds.org.
BirdNote®
Painted Bunting - Crowd Pleaser
Written by Bob Sundstrom
This is BirdNote.
[Painted Bunting song]
Every spring and summer, birders go in search of the superbly colorful birds that come back to the temperate US from tropical regions. Tanagers, orioles, hummingbirds, and gem-like warblers are all stunning birds, flashes of primary color against the greenery. But even they pale in comparison to the Painted Bunting.
[Painted Bunting song, http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/188218, .19-.20]
A male Painted Bunting combines more vivid, contrasting colors on one little bird body than any of the other contenders: a deep blue head and neck, a sparkling, golden-green back, all set off by scarlet underparts. It just doesn’t seem possible that one bird could pack so much visual impact onto a body just a bit larger than a goldfinch. Female Painted Buntings and young males are understated, by comparison – a mild green above, soft yellow below. [Painted Bunting song, http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/188218, .19-.20]
Painted Buntings nest from Texas to the coastal lowlands of the Southeast. By the time winter settles in, though, south Florida’s the place to look. Where you might find those that haven’t headed to Central America or Cuba around a seed feeder. And you can see for yourself why this little bird is such a crowd pleaser.
[Painted Bunting song, http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/188218, .19-.20]
For BirdNote, I’m Mary McCann.
Support for BirdNote comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, presenting its new “Bird Photography” online course, featuring Melissa Groo. Learn more at academy.allaboutbirds.org.
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Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Painted Bunting song [188218] recorded by Bob McGuire at Big Bend National Park in Texas, on May 3rd 2013.
BirdNote's theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Dominic Black
© 2016 Tune In to Nature.org July 2016/2020 Narrator: Mary McCann
ID# PABU-01-2016-07-11 PABU-01
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