Eastern Bluebird or Indigo Bunting?

General appearance

The Indigo Bunting is characterized by a size comparable to a Sparrow, around 5 1/2 inches or 14 cm. Its main features include a rounded wing shape and a tail which can be notched, squared or rounded. Some seasonal variations can influence its coloration.

Male vs female

Adult males stand out with a dark blue color in spring/summer. However, during autumn, males along with females transition to a brown tone. They normally exhibit fine streaks on their chest and a blue tinge on their tail.

Juvenile

One-year-old males during summer could exhibit a distinctive marking, taking on a blue shade interspersed with a white belly. This can make them unique compared to their adult counterparts.

Primary habitat

The indigo bunting prefers brushy pastures, bushy wood edges, and favors roadsides, old fields grown into bushes, and edges of woodlands for nesting. They can also be found in clearings within deciduous woods and edges of swamps.

Additional range

In the west, they are typically near streams. In the winter, their range extends to the tropics, where they are commonly found around brushy edges of farm fields.

Natural diet

The indigo bunting primarily consumes seeds and insects. During the breeding season, its diet consists predominantly of insects and spiders, but also includes some seeds and berries. The young indigo buntings are initially fed mostly insects. In the winter months, the diet shifts to consist largely of seeds, though some insects are still consumed.

Bird feeders

Indigo buntings commonly visit bird feeders where they consume items such as small seeds, including millet and thistle. They may also eat sunflower seeds and occasionally visit feeders with suet or mealworms.