Indigo Bunting
Who wouldn't want an indigo bunting in their yard? This vibrant blue bird will make you do a double take. Learn how to attract an indigo bunting to your yard, and listen to its song.
Photo: Roland Jordahl
- Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea.
- Family: Finch.
- Length: 5-1/2 inches.
- Wingspan: 8 inches.
- Distinctive Markings: Males are completely blue during breeding season. Females are plain brown with buff-colored streaks and a hint of blue in their wing feathers.
- Nest: Cup-shaped nests hidden 2 to 12 feet off the ground in weeds or shrubs. Lays three or four bluish-white eggs.
- Song: Rapid double notes, "sweet-sweet, zee-zee, seer-seer, sip-sip."
- Habitat: Overgrown fields, orchards, roadsides, thickets and open spaces near woods.
- Diet: Seeds, insects, grains and berries.
- Backyard Favorites: Nyjer (thistle) on the ground or in a tube feeder; likes birdbaths.
Listen to this bird’s song