Indigo Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Breeding male
- Small, stocky songbird
- Short conical bill
- Brilliant blue overall, but appears grayer in poor light
- Blue wings edged in black
- © Andy Johnson, MI, Ann Arbor, May 2010
Indigo Bunting
Breeding male
- Small, stocky songbird
- Short, silver-gray, conical bill
- Brilliant blue overall
- © Norm Townsend, OK, Tulsa, May 2011
Indigo Bunting
Female
- Stocky songbird with short, conical bill
- Warm brown above, paler below
- Contrasting whitish throat
- Faint streaks on breast
- © Kelly Colgan Azar, PA, Chester County, July 2010
Indigo Bunting
Breeding male
- Small, stocky songbird
- Conical, silvery-gray bill
- Mostly bright blue
- Some black edging on wings
- © Kelly Colgan Azar, PA, Chester County, July 2010
Indigo Bunting
Male
- Small and stocky songbird
- Short, conical bill
- Mostly pale brown
- Patches of bright blue on breast and head
- © Carlos Escamilla, TX, Corpus Christi, April 2011
Indigo Bunting
Immature male
- Small and stocky with short, conical bill
- Mostly pale brown
- Blue patches on breast and wings
- © Robert Strickland, FL, Beverly Hills, February 2010
Similar Species
Breeding adult male
- Similar to Indigo Bunting but larger and heavier
- Silver/gray bill much thicker and heavier than on Indigo Bunting
- Bright rusty wing-bars
- Narrow black patch at base of bill
- © photosbyjoe, TX, June 2011
Female
- Similar to Indigo Bunting but larger and stockier
- Very thick, heavy bill
- Warm brown overall with darker brown on face
- Rusty wing-bars
- © Carlos Escamilla, Laredo, TX, May 2011
Breeding adult male
- Similar to male Indigo Bunting in shape
- Lighter, sky blue on head and back
- Buffy-orange breast and white belly
- Bold white wing-bars
- © Keith Alderman, Fort Collins, CO, June 2010
Adult female
- Similar to female Indigo Bunting in shape, but greener overall
- Bill longer and more curved than Indigo Bunting
- Mostly pale olive-green throughout, but immature females can be drabber
- © CleberBirds, Winter Garden, FL, March 2011
Adult female
- Similar to female Indigo Bunting but larger and much stockier
- Heavy, yellow/gray bill
- Pale beige stripe through eye
- Bold patterns on wings and upper back
- © Robert Scott, Milton, ON, December 2010
Adult male
- Similar to male Indigo Bunting but larger and more slender
- Small, thin black bill
- Rusty orange on breast and flanks
- © Debbie McKenzie, AL