Indigo Bunting

In the last few weeks, I have heard and spotted numerous Indigo Buntings around the area.  I thought that we could go over a few quick ID tips on how to recognize these birds. 

The males are a small bird with bright blue coloration, much more brilliant than what you would expect from a bluebird with darker edges to their wings and a small conical shaped bill.  The females are light brown with streaking on the breast and a whitish throat.  Some of the females will have blue marks on the tips of their wings. 

They can typically be found in weedy and brushy areas where the field meets the forest.  They have a fairly recognizable song which can be heard by clicking HERE.



Above is a terrible picture of an indigo bunting that I found at Stateline Woods this week.  Can you find the bright blue bird in the top left corner of the photograph?  I also have a much better picture of a female indigo bunting.  An up close of a male indigo bunting can be seen when you click on the link to hear the song.