This week for Flora and Fauna Friday, we’re taking a look at another unmistakable bird of Edisto. This week we’re talking about the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris).
The Painted Bunting, just like the Roseate Spoonbill, is an unmistakable sight in the Southeast. A blur of color that streaks along the hedgerow and launches in through your peripheral vision. They were even given the French nickname of Nonpareil, meaning “without equal” or “unrivaled” in reference to their striking plumage. The male is a vibrant patchwork of red, blue, and chartreuse. The female a blend of greens and yellows not seen on any other bird in our region. They are roughly sparrow sized and relatives of the Cardinal and Tanager. Painted Buntings eat seeds and insects. They often visit bird feeders in their territory. Their preferred habitats are maritime forest, agricultural fields, and the shrubby edges of causeways, roads, and forests. Females build their nests in dense scrub a few feet off the ground or in Spanish Moss well out of reach. Males mark their territory with a warbling song they sing from an exposed perch, usually about 30ft above the ground. Painted Buntings are here most of the year but vacation in Mexico for the colder parts of winter.
