Passerina cyanea

Description

This is a small finch bird. Males are a deep, rich blue all over. Females are a plain brown, with a paler breast, with indistinct streaks. In autumn, males look like females, the drab brown, except most of them still have some blue on the wings.

Voice

A rapid call with 4 pairs of calls: fire, fire, quick, quick, hurry, hurry, put it out, put it out.

Habitat

You will find these birds in brushy pastures and along edges.

Diet

The main food of indigo buntings is seeds from grassland species.

Range

Indigo buntings can be found all throughout the eastern United States, from Maine down to Florida and westward to the Dakotas down to Texas. They can also be found in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and eastern California

Other Useful Information

Indigo buntings use stars for navigation, which they learn when they are young, so they migrate during the night.

Similar Species

Blue grosbeak and blue bunting.