A blue, red and green male painted bunting on a branch. — Photo: Dakota L., CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Painted Bunting

Passerina ciris

One of North America's most colorful birds: males are blue, red and green, called 'nonpareil,' or 'without equal.'

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About the Painted Bunting

Painted buntings are about 5 inches long, the size of a sparrow, and weigh about half an ounce. Males have a blue head, red chest and green back; females are plain green. They live in the southern United States, Mexico and Central America in thick brush and woodland edges. They eat seeds and insects, mostly near the ground, and hide in dense plants.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Passerina ciris^[1]
Size: About 5 inches long.^[1]
Weight: About 0.5 to 0.7 ounce.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to 12 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Seeds and insects.^[1]
Habitat: Dense brush, scrub, woodland edges, coastal plains and farmland.^[1]
Where it lives: Southern United States, Mexico and Central America.^[1]
Group life: Males defend territories. Active during the day.^[1]
Babies: 3 or 4 eggs, incubated for 11 to 12 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).^[2]

Fun facts

Its French name, nonpareil, means 'without equal.'^[1]
In Spanish it's called the 'seven-colored bluebird.'^[1]
Cowbirds sometimes lay eggs in painted bunting nests.^[1]

Vocabulary

plumage: A bird's feathers.
songbird: A perching bird that can sing; songbirds make up about half of all bird species.
brood parasite: A bird that lays its eggs in another bird's nest.
territory: An area an animal claims and defends.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Painted bunting.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/painted-bunting (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Passerina ciris (Painted Bunting).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22723957/131475071 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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