THIS IS FOR THE BIRDS: PAINTED BUNTINGS

The Bandera County Courier has been running a series of bird articles by Plateau. For those not in the Bandera area and reading the paper with a cup of coffee at OST, here is our latest...

Painted Bunting. Photograph copyright Lee Kothmann.

Occasionally mistaken as escaped tropical pets, Painted Buntings are certainly the most colorful (the gaudiest?) birds found within our region. Males are characterized by a vibrant red belly and chest, vivid blue head with red eye-rings, and chartreuse back. A bit like seeing a tiny, feathered Carmen Miranda perched in a tree, these birds, not surprisingly, are highly sought after by visiting birdwatchers. Though not as elaborately hued as males, the bright lime-green female buntings are also quite comely. Although often difficult to visually locate, Painted Buntings are easily identified by their beautiful song vocalized atop a high perch. A member of the family Cardinalidae, which also contains cardinals, grosbeaks, buntings, and tanagers, Painted Buntings are common breeding birds throughout the Hill Country. Winters are spent in southern Florida, Mexico, and throughout parts of Central and South America. Painted Buntings typically nest within dense, brushy habitats and even have been found nesting within juniper. For landowners hoping to attract these birds, it is very important to maintain understory vegetation, especially low-lying brush, to provide cover and nesting areas. Painted Buntings rely heavily on seed-eating during the fall and winter, and in the spring and summer months switch their diet to include insects and spiders. Like Hollywood celebrities spotted at grocery stores, these showy avian stars occasionally use bird feeders, so you should consider yourself lucky if you have been able to attract buntings to your feeders.

Plateau Land & Wildlife Management provides services and products for rural landowners throughout the Texas Hill Country and beyond. For more information, visit www.PlateauWildlife.com.