Photo: Dan Pancamo / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) is a member of the Cardinalidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 14.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cardinalidae Cardinals & Allies
- Genus Passerina
- Species cyanea
Where it lives
South-central, southeastern Canada to southwestern, south-central, southeastern USA
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Breeding male is entirely vivid blue, deepest/richest on the head, with a shiny silver-gray bill; female is plain warm brown with faint breast streaking, a whitish throat, and sometimes a hint of blue on the wings, tail, or rump.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles/immatures are warm brown with faint breast streaking and buffy wingbars, resembling the female; immature and first-year males show irregular patches of blue and brown.
Breeding vs non-breeding
Yes: the non-breeding (fall/winter) male is not solidly blue but instead covered in irregular patches of blue and brown, as his blue feathers become broadly edged with brown and buff.
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Indigo Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Indigo Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) is a member of the Cardinalidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA sc, se Canada to sw, sc, se USA.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 4.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Indigo Bunting?
The Indigo Bunting is a very small bird that weighs around 14.7 g.
Where does the Indigo Bunting live?
The Indigo Bunting is found across North America with a range covering NA sc, se Canada to sw, sc, se USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Indigo Bunting belong to?
The Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) belongs to the Cardinalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Indigo Bunting eat?
The Indigo Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Indigo Bunting migrate?
The Indigo Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Indigo Bunting endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Indigo Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Indigo Bunting — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Indigo Bunting's range?
The Indigo Bunting has a mapped global range of about 5.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
How to Attract Indigo Bunting to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Indigo Bunting to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (nyjer), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.
Eastern Bluebird vs Indigo Bunting: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Eastern Bluebird from a Indigo Bunting — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.