INDIGO BUNTING
(Passerina cyanea)
The Indigo Bunting is a beautiful, blue bird, about the size of a Sparrow, and I remember the very first time I spotted one, I was delighted to see him in the shrubs behind my house.
Indigo Bunting
If you observe this vibrant blue bird, then you are seeing a male, because the females are a much drabber brown, as are the males when it is not the breeding season - his distinctive blue plumage is to attract a mate.
This little bird weighs in at around half an ounce, 14.5 grams and typically is between 4.5" and 6" long, with a wingspan of around 8".
During the breeding season the plumage of the male is mainly blue, with the wings and tail being black with blue edges and in winter he has brown edges to his body and head feathers which make him appear mostly brown.
The female is brown all over, with her under-parts being a lighter shade of brown, and she has faint wing bars.
Young birds resemble their mothers, having more the markings of the female until they mature.
In their family life, it is the female who builds the nest of grasses, bark and plant stems lined with deer hair or soft grasses, and incubates the eggs, of which there are usually between one and four in a clutch.
Hatching takes place after around 12 or 13 days and require feeding by both parents, and by 12 days the chicks are fully fledged and ready to fly.
The Indigo Bunting parents are generally monogamous and work hard to raise their chicks together, with the male taking care of the newly fledged young while Momma bird incubates the next clutch of eggs, allowing the pair to raise two families each year.
These beautiful little birds are found in the eastern United States and southern parts of eastern Canada during their breeding season in the summer, and they spend their winters in Central America, Florida and parts of the Caribbean.
Indigo Bunting losing summer plumage
If you want to see these birds at your backyard bird feeder, try putting out small seeds such as Nyger seeds and you could leave thistles growing in a hidden part of your property, because those are also favourites.
If you put out mealworms you may attract any Indigo Buntings that are around as they are also favourites!
Another interesting fact that I want to share, is that these birds learn their songs when they are young, not necessarily from their fathers, but from nearby males. We know that Buntings in a different area sing different songs, with the members of the group singing the same song, which persists over time, even up to 20 years, and as new singers join the group, the neighbourhood song can change and morph over time.
These fascinating little birds have another amazing skill ... they migrate at night, guided by the stars!
Indigo Bunting Info ...
Indigo Bunting - All About Birds
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Have you sighted an Indigo Bunting? Let us know!
Do you have a report or pictures of an Indigo Bunting in Ontario? We would love to see them!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Two Male Indigo Buntings at the feeder 
Two male Indigo Buntings at my feeder north of Colborne, Ontario.
The pictures don’t do them justice, but my binoculars confirm the ID
Indigo Bunting visitors
Sue from Wasaga Beach wrote ... on May 20, it was my first time ever seeing an Indigo Bunting! I live in Wasaga Beach, Ontario. Unfortunately it was a …
A New Bird
Ann Hurley from Oshawa wrote to say ... I didn't get a picture but I'm pretty sure it was an Indigo Bunting. I have never seen nor heard of another blue …
Very curious about this bright visitor to our feeder
Spotted this just now on our feeder. May 9 2014.
Oh, I think you have a male Indigo Bunting there!
I have lived in St Thomas for 35 years and have …
Bright Blue Indigo Bunting
If I had a bucket list for birds I'd love to see and photograph, two of those birds would be the Scarlet Tanager and the Indigo Bunting.
Last week while …
Indigo Bunting in Fonthill, Ontario Not rated yet
I spotted an Indigo Bunting in my back yard in Fonthill on September 9th.
I didn't know what it was until I looked it up.
It came back again on …
A Second Sighting Not rated yet
Up until last month I had never seen nor heard of the Indigo Bunting and now I was fortunate to snap a photo the second time I saw our little visitor feeding …
Indigo Bunting sighting Huntsville Ontario Canada Not rated yet
I was excited to see what I believe is an Indigo Bunting at my feeder this morning.
It flew off before I could get a clearer picture.
Beautiful …
Indigo Buntings Not rated yet
In the past week I have received two reports from readers who have spotted Indigo Buntings.
Darlene wrote ... I have viewed this bird twice in two days …
Indigo Bunting sighting Not rated yet
We saw what seems very much like an Indigo Bunting at the Meisel Woods Conservation Area near Beaver Lake (Anderson Road north) in Ontario.
Image taken …
Indigo Bunting sightings Not rated yet
Several of our readers have written to tell us about their sightings of Indigo Buntings.
In May Kyle from Hillsburgh sent us this picture of a blue …
Thrilled to see an Indigo Bunting in our backyard Not rated yet
On May 14, I was relaxing and watching the birds that come to our backyard feeders.
Suddenly I saw a vivid blue colour among the leaves of our Cherry …
Indigo Bunting Not rated yet
I had this visitor on May 24, 2021, in my back yard.
Didn’t stay long.
Just long enough to get these 3 pictures.
Thank you for sending …
Three feeders with different seeds Not rated yet
I read that the Indigo Bunting likes Nyger seeds, so I bought a new feeder to attract them.
I also have one feeder with black oil sunflower seeds and …
Indigo Bunting in Waterloo Not rated yet
On my bird feeder in Waterloo, Ontario.
Spring 2021.
Thanks for sending this picture of the Bunting at your feeder.
Indigo Bunting near Allport Lake Not rated yet
Saw a beautiful little male bird yesterday on Beaumont Drive which is near Allport Lake on the east side of Lake Muskoka just outside Bracebridge.
…
Indigo Bunting Not rated yet
Sighted in Glencairn, Ontario, on May 30, 2020 when it flew into my window and remained stunned for a minute on the chair where I captured a picture and …
Indigo Bunting visitor Not rated yet
We have 2 - 4 Indigos stop at our home just north of Cobourg, to partake of our nyjer feeder every mid-May.
They hang around for a few days and then …
Visiting Indigo Bunting Not rated yet
I was surprised that I saw this bird at our birdfeeder in the afternoon on the 24 of May, 2020.
Thanks for sending this to us!
Lucky to see this little guy! Not rated yet
2020.05.24 On our bird feeder (that contains nyger seeds).
We missed getting a shot of him a few days earlier but had the camera at the ready today. …
Indigo Bunting Not rated yet
We were lucky enough to see two of these birds.
We were at Rosetta McClain gardens (off Glen Everest Road) in Scarborough, Ontario when we saw these …
Lots of Indigo Bunting Sightings! Not rated yet
A reader wrote to tell us ... today was my birthday - and for the first time since I live here I had this special visitor. Of course no really great camera …
Indigo Buntings in Kingston Not rated yet
Indigo Bunting sighted in Kingston, Ontario, in May 2020.
Indigo Bunting on MCFN Not rated yet
May 14-16 /2020 - I spotted this Indigo Bunting at our bird feeder.
This was at the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
Thank you for …
Indigo Bunting in May Not rated yet
Earlier this year, one of our readers wrote to say ... I saw my first Indigo Bunting this morning (May 15,2020)
Indigo Bunting Not rated yet
I first spotted him in our backyard in May 2018
Sweet! Thank you for sharing these pictures of the Indigo Bunting
Indigo Bunting Spotted in the Coves Not rated yet
I saw this bird along the banks of the creek which runs from the larger of the two ponds in the Coves area in London, Ontario.
This was just after …
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