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.