Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), Deadhorse Ranch State Park, Yavapai County

This Painted Bunting was found by Barry Mantell 3 May and photographed by Vic Nelson on 4 May and by Bryan Patrick on 5 May 2015.

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

Males are unmistakable.

04 May 2015, photo by Vic Nelson

05 May 2015, photo by Bryan Patrick

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