Though they are a common sight here in central NC, it’s tough to not stop and appreciate the beauty of a singing Indigo Bunting when out on a trail.
I mean look at those colors! With that array of sapphire, turquoise and amethyst plumage sparkling in the sun, it’s a pallet that any jeweler would admire.

I found this Indigo Bunting at Bynum Bridge while leading a trip there last week. Perched on his twig, he sang constantly only stopping to chase away any other males who entered his territory.
Interestingly, male Painted Buntings learn to sing their complex tunes from other males near their territory instead of from their parents. As a whole, these songs are repeated and may evolve into a certain kind of uniformity over the years which I’d loosely describe as a small localized accent or dialect shared by nearby males.
In fact, a male Painted Buntings can tell when an intruder Bunting is ‘not from around here just by his song.

Painted Buntings are a summertime resident of North Carolina. Arriving in April to breed, they nest throughout most of the state and may be found in varying numbers in all 100 counties during the warmer months.
Look (and listen!) for these gorgeous feathered gems in tall grassy fields, agricultural lands and in open clear cut areas containing grass and scrub brush.
Btw, if you live in a rural area, Indigo Buntings can also be enticed to visit your yard (especially in the autumn) if you offer nyjer and millet seed in your feeders.
They’ll stick around the Tarheel state until October so we’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy these beauties before the year is done.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds