Painted buntings are our most colorful bird; visiting during the summer season in the southern states and overwintering in portions of Mexico, Central America and Caribbean. They do not become fully colored until their second molt (Birds of the World) to develop their full color range - blue, red, green. Their bright coloration is a mix of carotenoids and feather structures (Justyn, N.J., and Weaver, R.J., 2023,
Ornithology, Volume 140, Issue 1, 12 January 2023, ukac052, https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukac052)

Always a thrill to see them and try to capture photos. The males are hard to miss with their vibrant coloration. The immature and females are a challenge with their overall green color and pale shading.

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