# Indigo Bunting (*Passerina cyanea*) The Indigo Bunting is a small, bright blue bird that sings sweet songs. They love to eat seeds and insects and can be found in open fields and forests during the summer. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 70 - **Habitat:** Open fields and forests ![Indigo Bunting](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Indigo_Bunting_Female_by_Dan_Pancamo_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dan Pancamo, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indigo_Bunting_Female_by_Dan_Pancamo_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Indigo Bunting has an iridescent deep blue plumage in males, appearing nearly black in shade, while females are a warm brown with faint streaking. A key visual difference is the male's vibrant, structural blue compared to the duller female. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cardinalidae - **Genus:** Passerina ## Interesting facts - Indigo Buntings can breed more than once in a single summer season! - Male Indigo Buntings learn complex new songs every year from their neighbors! - Their dazzling blue color isn't a pigment, but light scattering like a prism! - They use the stars to guide their incredible long migrations at night. ## Special abilities - **Celestial Navigator:** Indigo Bunting can navigate long distances using star patterns at night because of specialized magnetoreceptors that guide them. - **Sunlight Magic:** Indigo Bunting has brilliant blue feathers that aren't pigmented but scatter light like tiny prisms, making them glow. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 11.5-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 20-23 cm - **Weight:** 0.012-0.019 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-4 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds feast on many small bugs and enjoy munching on various seeds and berries. - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Spiders, Thistle seeds, Dandelion seeds, Blueberries, Blackberries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — This speedy hawk is a common predator of small birds like the Bunting. - **Parasitizes:** [Brown-headed Cowbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-headed-cowbird) (*Molothrus ater*) — Lays eggs in bunting nests, making the bunting raise its young. - **Eats:** [Field Thistle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-thistle) (*Cirsium discolor*) — Adults feast on the abundant and nutritious seeds of this plant. - **Shelter:** [Quaking Aspen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quaking-aspen) (*Populus tremuloides*) — Often nests in the saplings and shrubby undergrowth of this habitat. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don’t scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Indigo Bunting? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Indigo Bunting? 11.5-15 cm ### What is Indigo Bunting's wingspan? 20-23 cm ### How much does Indigo Bunting weigh? 0.012-0.019 kg ### How long does Indigo Bunting live? 2-4 years ### How fast can Indigo Bunting move? 35 km/h ### What does Indigo Bunting eat? These tiny birds feast on many small bugs and enjoy munching on various seeds and berries. ### Where is Indigo Bunting usually found? Open fields and forests ## Where to spot - [Blackbird State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackbird-state-forest) — Delaware, US · Forest - [Bloomingdale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloomingdale) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Brandon Road Lock and Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandon-road-lock-and-dam) — Illinois, US · Historic Site - [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Delaware and Raritan Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/delaware-and-raritan-canal) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Downtown Quincy Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-quincy-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District [View all places to see Indigo Bunting](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/indigo-bunting) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Indigo Bunting: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/indigo-bunting)