Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER from near Patagonia, AZ, USA / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Varied Bunting
Passerina versicolor
Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor) is a member of the Cardinalidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 12.9 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 versicolor
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Varied Bunting is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Varied Bunting is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor) is a species of bird in the Cardinalidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA w USA to Guatemala.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.9 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 5.5 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 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Varied Bunting?
The Varied Bunting is a very small bird that weighs around 12.9 g.
Where does the Varied Bunting live?
The Varied Bunting is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA w USA to Guatemala, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Varied Bunting belong to?
The Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor) belongs to the Cardinalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Varied Bunting eat?
The Varied Bunting is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Varied Bunting migrate?
The Varied Bunting is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Varied 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 Varied Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Varied 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 Varied Bunting's range?
The Varied Bunting has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Cardinalidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
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.