Bunting

Bunting is a name that is loosely used for various seed-eating birds. Buntings live in a wide variety of climates worldwide. Some of these birds are brightly colored. But not all buntings are closely related. The best-known North American species is the indigo bunting.

The painted bunting of the Southeastern United States is about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long. The male has a purplish-blue head, green back, red rump and underparts, and dark wings and tail. The female painted bunting is green above and yellow below. The lazuli bunting lives in the Western United States and Canada. The male’s head, throat, and back are bright turquoise-blue. Its underside is white, and its breast and sides are cinnamon-brown. The lark bunting is commonly found in the Prairie States and northern Canadian provinces. The male is black and has white wing patches.