The Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) is a striking songbird, aptly named "nonpareil" (meaning "without equal" in French) for its vibrant plumage. The male boasts a fusion of blue, green, yellow, and red, while females and immature birds display a more subtle, yet distinctive, bright green coloration. Understanding their dietary needs and foraging habits is crucial for attracting and supporting these beautiful birds, especially as their populations face declines due to habitat loss.
Geographic Distribution and Conservation Status
Painted Buntings are native to North America and are found in two geographically separate breeding populations:
- Eastern Population: Coastal regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida.
- Western Population: Primarily Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
The eastern population winters in Florida and the northern Caribbean, while the western population migrates to southern Mexico and Central America.
Unfortunately, Breeding Bird Survey results have documented significant regional declines, particularly for eastern populations along the Atlantic coast. This has led to the Painted Bunting being listed as a Species of Special Concern by Partners in Flight. Habitat loss and degradation, especially the development of swampy thickets and woodland edges, are major factors in their decline.
Dietary Habits: Seeds and Insects
Painted Buntings are primarily seed eaters, but their diet shifts seasonally. They consume seeds for most of the year, switching to insects during the breeding season to feed their young.
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Seeds
In the wild, Painted Buntings eat seeds nearly all year. They will harvest seeds from St. John’s Wort, wheat, pigweed, wood sorrel and a wide variety of grasses. To do so, they usually land on the plant stem and push it to the ground. They primarily feed on seeds, particularly those of grasses and weeds. For early seeds, include sedges (Carex species). These are grass-like plants which flower in the spring, much earlier than most native grasses and accordingly set seed much earlier. Some grasses which are native to Georgia include: Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass), Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem), Soghastrum nutans (Indian Grass), Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass) and Sporobolus heterolepis (Prarire Dropseed).
Insects
Painted Buntings consume many insects, including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and flies. Insects are a crucial food source, especially during the breeding season when they provide essential protein for growing nestlings.
Foraging Behavior
Painted Buntings forage mostly on the ground but also forage up in shrubs and low trees. During migration, they may forage in mixed flocks with Indigo Buntings. They have also been observed stealing prey caught in spider webs.
Attracting Painted Buntings to Your Yard
Attracting Painted Buntings to your yard requires providing the "Big 4": nesting sites, cover, food, and a fresh water source.
Food
- White Proso Millet: The top commercial bird seed for Painted Buntings is White Proso Millet, which you can find in most songbird mixes. Jim, the owner of Hackberry Hammock Nursery, swears by white millet only to feed them. Offer white millet in a caged feeder made for small songbirds to help the buntings feel more safe because they know that predators can’t get to them.
- Native Plants: Include a diverse mix of native plants timed to provide seed throughout most of the year. For early seeds, include sedges (Carex species). Large swaths of regional native grasses can provide both seed and cover. Some grasses which are native to Georgia include: Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass), Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem), Soghastrum nutans (Indian Grass), Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass) and Sporobolus heterolepis (Prarire Dropseed).
- Insect-Friendly Environment: Avoid spraying pesticides and encourage a diverse mix of native plantings to support a healthy insect population.
Water
Buntings are also attracted to water - and prefer moving water to still water. So set up a bird bath or bubbler to provide them with a water source.
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Nesting and Cover
- Dense Vegetation: Painted Buntings are shrub and scrub nesters, preferring dense, shrubby or grassy vegetation. They like to nest no more than 6 feet from the ground.
- Native Grasses: Planting masses of tall native grasses will create habitat.
- Shrubs and Trees: Increase the number of dense shrubs and sub-shrubs in your landscape and include some smaller trees and evergreens for safe haven.
- Safe Environment: If you have cats, keep them indoors. Shrub nesting birds have very little chance of survival when stalked by domestic or feral cats.
Other Considerations
- Patience: Attracting these buntings to your feeder can take a lot of patience on your part. These birds are shy and prefer to skulk in the underbrush that they love.
- Location: Make sure you live where these birds frequent! Painted Buntings are native to North America and are predominantly found in the southeast part of the country. Here in Florida, we get them in the winter. Further north - meaning coastal Georgia and the Carolinas - they’re either year-round or there during the breeding season aka spring and summer. They also breed further west in Louisiana, Texas, and the like.
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