The Indigo Bunting or Passerina cyanea (scientific name), is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the stars to navigate. Its habitat is farmland, brush areas, and open woodland. The Indigo Bunting is closely related to the Lazuli Bunting, and will interbreed with the latter species where their ranges overlap.
The Indigo Bunting is a small bird, and has a unique way of courting. Male Indigo Buntings are vibrant blue in color (earning them the name) during the summer months, the change in color is used to attract potential mates during breeding season, while their feathers are brown during winter. Female Indigo Buntings however are brown all year long. Nest-building and incubation are done solely by the female. The diet of the Indigo Bunting consists primarily of insects during the summer months and seeds during the winter months.
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