Photo Study Of A Painted Bunting In Absecon, New Jersey (Atlantic County), April 11th And Again On April 14th, 2011

     A male Painted Bunting has been visiting a feeder in Absecon, NJ. Thanks go to the family who graciously opened their yard as well as
     to their neighbors who are tolerating all the birders and picture takers who are coming to see this beautiful visitor from the southeastern and
     the south-central part of the United States.

     I returned again to Absecon today to try and photograph the Painted Bunting because the weatherman had promised bright sunshine all day.
     The bird came in to the feeders three times between 12:00 PM and 3:35 PM and I was able to get the following photographs:

    All the Painted Bunting photos below were taken on April 11^th, 2011:

    The Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) is a species of bird in the Cardinal and Grosbeak Family, Cardinalidae. It is native to North America. The
    Painted Bunting is about 5-6 inches long with a 9-inch wingspan and feeds on seeds and insects. There are two distinct breeding populations: one
    found along the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina south to central Florida; and another that stretches across much of Louisiana, Arkansas,
    Oklahoma, and Texas, southward into northern Mexico.  With bright blue, green and red plumage, the breeding male Painted Bunting is one of
    the continent's most gaudily colorful birds. The female is a drab green.  The Painted Bunting spends its winters from the Gulf coast states
    southward. They can be found along waterways and in thick riparian cover during the summer in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, with
    Bahamas, Mexico and Central America. Their preferred habitats include brushy tangles, hedgerows, briar patches, woodland edges, and swampy
    thickets. 

    For comparative purposes here are a few of my photos of some other "Buntings" that either live in our area or who visit us from time to time.
    Also, for the sake of accuracy, please note that while the Snow Bunting (Plectophenax nivalis) and Lark Bunting (Malamospiza melanocorys)
    share part of their common name with the Painted, Lazuli and Indigo Buntings, taxonomically they are in the same Family, Emberizidae, with
    Seedeaters, Grassquits, Towhees, Sparrows, Longspurs and Old World Buntings Genus Emberiza. The Painted, Lazuli and Indigo Buntings are
    all members of a different Family, Cardinalidae, and, further, are in the same Genus, Passerina. The Blue Grosbeak is also a member of
    the Genus Passerina, so it is actually a closer relative to these three Buntings than either the Snow Bunting or the Lark Bunting. (Cornell BNA;
    Wikipedia; Sibley Guide To Birds; Chris Bennett, Natural Resource Management Specialist, Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation)

                                        
                                               Lazuli Bunting, Found By George Franchois,                                                                      Female Painted Bunting,
                                                   At Red Hill, PA, 2007                                                                                                             John Heinz NWR,
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Tinicum, PA, 2009

                                                       
                                                    Male Indigo Bunting, Higbee Beach, NJ, 2010                                     Blue Grosbeak At Bombay Hook NWR, 2010
                                                                                                    

                                             Lark Bunting Found By Karen and Chris Bennett                                    Snow Bunting At The Oberly Road WMA, Alpha, NJ, 2010
                                   Bombay Hook NWR, De,  2010                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
              

     To see a larger image of any of the photos below, which were all taken on April 11th , please click on either the thumbnails or the
     captions...thanks!

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