# Painted Bunting (*Passerina ciris*) The Painted Bunting is a colorful bird that looks like a flying rainbow! Males are bright blue, green, and red, while females are more muted. They love to sing and can be found in bushes and trees. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Shrublands - **Also known as:** Rainbow Bunting ![Painted Bunting](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Painted-bunting-branch.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dakota Lynch, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Painted-bunting-branch.jpg) ## Appearance The male Painted Bunting is a spectacular mix of colors, sporting a blue head, red breast and rump, and a green back. Females and juveniles are much plainer, displaying bright yellow-green plumage. This rainbow of colors makes the male unmistakable among North American birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cardinalidae - **Genus:** Passerina ## Interesting facts - Female Painted Buntings look completely different, sporting a lovely bright green and yellow. - Males are so brightly colored they were once called "nonpareil," meaning "unequaled"! - These tiny birds sometimes migrate over vast stretches of open ocean, a truly incredible journey! - They build cup-shaped nests hidden deep within dense shrubs, a perfect cozy home for their chicks. ## Special abilities - **Rainbow Camouflage:** Painted Bunting females and juveniles have vibrant green plumage that helps them blend perfectly into leafy trees and shrubs. - **Seed Cracker:** Painted Bunting has a stout, conical beak that helps them efficiently crack open tough seeds for food. - **Charming Songster:** Painted Bunting can sing a sweet, warbling song that helps males attract mates and defend their territory. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-14 cm - **Wingspan:** 21-23 cm - **Weight:** 0.013-0.019 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-7 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 10-11 days - **Migration Distance:** 1500 km ## Diet & Feeding These colorful birds munch on seeds and insects they find on the ground or in plants. - **Primary Foods:** Grass seeds, Weed seeds, Caterpillars, Grasshoppers, Spiders - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A common predator of small birds. - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — Preys on eggs and nestlings. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — An invasive predator in many areas. - **Eats:** [Common Ragweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-ragweed) (*Ambrosia artemisiifolia*) — Consumes its energy-rich seeds. - **Eats:** American Grasshopper (*Schistocerca americana*) — Feeds on these insects. ## 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. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [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 don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Painted 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 Painted Bunting? 12-14 cm ### What is Painted Bunting's wingspan? 21-23 cm ### How much does Painted Bunting weigh? 0.013-0.019 kg ### How long does Painted Bunting live? 2-7 years ### How fast can Painted Bunting move? 40 km/h ### What does Painted Bunting eat? These colorful birds munch on seeds and insects they find on the ground or in plants. ### Where is Painted Bunting usually found? Shrublands ## Where to spot - [Botanical Research Institute of Texas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanical-research-institute-of-texas) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Paseo Arts District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paseo-arts-district) — Oklahoma, US · Historic District - [Dewey W. Wills Wildlife Management Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dewey-w-wills-wildlife-management-area) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Cameron Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cameron-park-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Frank Buck Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/frank-buck-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo [View all places to see Painted Bunting](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/painted-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: [Painted Bunting: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-bunting)