Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Varied Bunting

Passerina versicolor

The Varied Bunting, Passerina versicolor, is a small, stocky songbird with a short tail and rounded bill. Males are adorned in a splendid purple-red plumage with a striking red patch on the nape, which fades to a more subdued brown in the fall. Females, on the other hand, present a more modest light brown attire and lack the streaking on the breast that one might see in the female Indigo Bunting.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Varied Bunting, look for the male's vibrant purple-red coloration and the distinctive red nape patch. Females can be recognized by their plain light brown plumage. Both sexes measure between 11–14 centimeters in length, boast a wingspan of approximately 21 centimeters, and weigh between 11–13 grams.

Habitat

These birds favor arid environments, making their homes in deserts and xeric shrublands. They have a particular affinity for thorny brush thickets, thorn forests, scrubby woodlands, and overgrown clearings.

Distribution

The Varied Bunting's range extends from the southern reaches of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the United States, down through Mexico to Oaxaca. Notably, there are small, separate populations in Chiapas, Mexico, and southeastern Guatemala.

Behaviour

On the ground is where Varied Buntings typically forage, searching for insects, fruit, and seeds to sustain themselves. They exhibit a preference for nesting in the outer branches of thorny shrubs, often selecting spots near water sources.

Song & calls

The vocal repertoire of the Varied Bunting includes a variety of songs, each with its own unique charm and complexity.

Breeding

Breeding occurs year-round for these birds. They construct open-cup nests woven from grass and spider webs. Females lay a clutch of two to five bluish-white to bluish-green eggs and incubate them for about fourteen days. The young buntings are fully feathered after 10 days and ready to fledge several days thereafter.

Similar Species

The female Varied Bunting may be mistaken for the female Indigo Bunting, but can be distinguished by the absence of streaking on the breast.

Diet and Feeding

Varied Buntings have a diet that includes insects, fruit, and seeds, which they forage for on the ground.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List categorizes the Varied Bunting as Least Concern, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers.

Varied Bunting Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Varied Buntings on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Cardinals & Allies

A photo of a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) , male

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😄
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.