Named after the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, the male Lazuli Bunting shows a bright blue head and back, orange breast, white wingbars, and belly. The female is dull brown, with a more stocky build.
- Passerina amoena
- Length: 5.1-5.9 in (13-15 cm)
- Weight: 0.5-0.6 oz (13-18 g)
- Wingspan: 8.7 in (22 cm)
Range
Lazuli Buntings breed in western US states before migrating to the Pacific coast of Mexico.
Habitat And Diet
You can find Lazuli Buntings in and around open, brushy areas, streamside thickets, grassy grounds, and even towns.
The diet of a Lazuli Bunting is primarily insects in the summer and seeds in the winter. Most of the summer, it feeds on small animals like grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, and more. During the winter, it has stocked up on seeds and waste grain.
Lazuli Bunting Song:
Nests
Nests of Lazuli Buntings are firmly attached to forked branches or vertical stems. They may be built within shrubs or vines or on low trees. The female builds it with grass, weeds, and leaves.
They lay up to six eggs, and they hatch in about twelve days. Meanwhile, the young leave the nest within two weeks.
Fun fact:
Lazuli buntings molt their feathers during migration. They shed before they reach their destination for the winter.
