Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), HerefordAZ, Cochise County

This Painted Bunting was discoverd and photographed by tony battiste on 10 September 2012 in his yard. 

Painted Bunting is a rare but regular visitant to southeast Arizona during late summer and early fall and is casual at other times.  While the pattern of migrants in Arizona suggests that fall migrants are wild birds, Painted Bunting is a common cage bird in Mexico and it is impossible to know if birds are escapes or not, especially when seen outside of the normal fall migration.

Uniform pale green plumag is unique. 

10 September 2012, photo by Tony Battiste

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