# Lazuli Bunting (*Passerina amoena*) The Lazuli Bunting is a small, colorful bird that loves to sing. Males are bright blue with a warm orange belly, while females are more brown and spotted. They are often found in open fields and gardens. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Open fields and gardens ![Lazuli Bunting](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lazuli_Bunting.jpg&width=800) Photo: www.naturespicsonline.com, Copyrighted free use · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lazuli_Bunting.jpg) ## Appearance The Lazuli Bunting is a small, vibrant songbird. Males boast a brilliant turquoise-blue head and back, a cinnamon chest, and a white belly. Females are much duller, appearing mostly brown with faint streaking, lacking the male's striking colors. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cardinalidae - **Genus:** Passerina ## Interesting facts - Sometimes, a male Lazuli Bunting will help care for chicks in another pair's nest, even if they aren't his own! - The dazzling blue color on male Lazuli Buntings comes from light-refracting feathers, not blue pigment! - Their name "Lazuli" comes from a deep blue gemstone called lapis lazuli, referencing the male's stunning plumage! - Young male Lazuli Buntings often learn their unique songs by listening to and mimicking nearby adult males. ## Special abilities - **Iridescent Master:** Lazuli Bunting has unique feather structures that refract light, making their blue color appear incredibly vibrant. - **Seed Crusher:** Lazuli Bunting has a strong, cone-shaped beak that helps them crack open tough seeds for food. - **Melodic Composer:** Lazuli Bunting can learn complex songs from other males that helps them attract mates and defend territory. - **Sky Navigator:** Lazuli Bunting can travel thousands of kilometers during migration, guided by the Earth's magnetic field and stars. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 22-25 cm - **Weight:** 0.012-0.018 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-7 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 11-12 days - **Migration Distance:** 3200 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds enjoy a diverse diet of small insects during summer and various seeds year-round. - **Primary Foods:** grass seeds, forb seeds, caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — A common avian predator of small birds. - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — Known to prey on eggs and nestlings. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — A significant predator of birds, especially near human settlements. - **Eats:** Eastern Tent Caterpillar (*Malacosoma americanum*) — Lazuli Buntings feed on various insect larvae, including caterpillars. - **Eats:** [Cheatgrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cheatgrass) (*Bromus tectorum*) — They consume seeds from many grass species, including cheatgrass. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [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. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [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. - [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. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lazuli 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 Lazuli Bunting? 13-15 cm ### What is Lazuli Bunting's wingspan? 22-25 cm ### How much does Lazuli Bunting weigh? 0.012-0.018 kg ### How long does Lazuli Bunting live? 2-7 years ### How fast can Lazuli Bunting move? 40 km/h ### What does Lazuli Bunting eat? These tiny birds enjoy a diverse diet of small insects during summer and various seeds year-round. ### Where is Lazuli Bunting usually found? Open fields and gardens ## Where to spot - [Alder Creek Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alder-creek-grove) — California, US · Forest - [Marymoor Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marymoor-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [ZooMontana](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoomontana) — Montana, US · Zoo - [Bertrand F. Harrison Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bertrand-f-harrison-arboretum) — Utah, US · Botanical Garden - [East Glacier Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-glacier-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Gold Hill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gold-hill) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Lazuli Bunting](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lazuli-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: [Lazuli Bunting: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lazuli-bunting)