Bird of the Month | March 2026
Painted Bunting | Passerina ciris
Painted Bunting, Green Cay Wetlands, Florida. Photo by Lorraine Minns/Audubon Photography Awards
Without Equal
Nonpareil, the French name for the Painted Bunting, means “without equal,” and aptly describes their stunning plumage. They like to spend their time hidden, but during migration and winter, lucky Floridians might see them at their bird feeders (they prefer feeders in yards with low or dense vegetation).
In 1841, John James Audubon reported that every spring, thousands of these colorful birds were caught and shipped to Europe from New Orleans, where they were sold as cage birds. They’re still trapped by some illegal trade today.
