# Painted Bunting

*Passerina ciris*

In French, they are called 'nonpareil', meaning 'without equal', referring to the male's unmatched multicolored plumage.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Cardinalidae › Passerina
- **IUCN Red List status:** Near Threatened
- **Population trend:** decreasing
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Woodland edges, brushy roadsides, overgrown fields, and suburban gardens.
- **Diet:** Primarily seeds (grasses and grains) and small insects like caterpillars and beetles.
- **Range:** Southeast USA, South Central USA, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean
- **Size:** 12-14 cm length, 13-19 g weight
- **Lifespan:** 5-10 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss, window collisions, and the illegal caged bird trade.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. Observe from a distance with binoculars to avoid flushing them from cover; they are shy and easily startled. Do not disturb nesting sites. If you find an injured bird, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator.

## About

The painted bunting ( Passerina ciris ) is a species of bird in the cardinal family, Cardinalidae, that is native to North America. The bright plumage of the male only comes in the second year of life; in the first year they can only be distinguished from the female by close inspection.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/cb185fdf-a4a8-43ab-9db0-131343d969dc
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/10224
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passerina ciris
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/3179793/medium.jpg (no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.