Female Painted Buntings (Male vs Female Identification)

Painted bunting (Passeriformes Passeriformes) is a brightly colored songbird of the cardinal family. These migratory birds occur in two isolated populations in Mexico and the southern United States. Male buntings are beautiful birds adorned in every color of the rainbow. They are called nonpareil, or incomparable bird, in French.

But what do female buntings look like, and how do they differ from males?

Female painted buntings are very different from adult males. They are green above and yellow below, lacking the vibrant colors the species is known for. Females are also less vocal and aggressive than males during nesting season.

Female painted buntings may be confused with some similar North American birds. They are also difficult to distinguish from immature males of the same species. However, the behavioral differences between the sexes are so pronounced that careful birders can tell the difference.

During the nesting season, the female is the devoted parent and bears the greatest responsibility for raising her young independently.

This article describes the appearance and behavior of female painted buntings. Read on to learn more about these charming but understated American songbirds.

Bunting female perched by a birdbath

How to judge whether the bunting is male or female?

Painted buntings exhibit marked sexual dimorphism, meaning there are distinct visible differences between males and females. In short, male buntings are colorful, while female buntings are all green.

However, when you include immature birds in the comparison, the distinction between the sexes becomes confusing. Male buntings do not fully bloom until their second year. Before that, they were almost indistinguishable from women in the field based on their looks alone.

Read on to learn how to tell them apart.

female bunting

male bunting

Female vs Immature Male Painted Bunting

First-year buntings have the same green upper body and yellow croaker lower body as adult females. Young males develop their coloring gradually, so looking for hints of red and blue in their green plumage can help you tell them apart.

However, females behave very differently from young males, which is a good way to identify them. Males are sexually mature before they develop their adult plumage, so watch out for their typical aggressive behavior and singing.

Same species

Female painted buntings are fairly unique among North American birds and are easy to identify with a little practice. They are most likely to be confused with the following birds:

Female Variegated Bunting (variegated finches) & female blue bunting (P. cyanea)

These closely related birds are very similar in size and general appearance to the female bunting. Birders can identify female Varied and Indigo Buntings by their overall brown coloration.

Female Goldfinch (sea ​​buckthorn)

These birds can cause some confusion in south Texas and Mexico. Females are similarly colored, but are easily identifiable by their black and white wing bars. Look out for the distinctive black and yellow male to confirm your identity.

Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)

Many Vireo species bear a superficial resemblance to the female bunting in color and size. These small birds are usually smaller, with longer and lighter beaks.

Male (left) and female (right) painted buntings perched on a branch

What does a female bunting look like?

The female bunting is a small songbird of the cardinal family. They are slightly smaller and more slender than sparrows, but have a similarly conical bill. Female buntings have an overall green color, an unusual color among American songbirds.

The upper part of the female bunting is green, including the sides of the head and neck and the flight feathers of the wings. The underparts are pale yellow, and the legs, eyes, and beak are dark brown or black. Female buntings also have a pale ring around their eyes.

Close up of female painted bunting

Are female buntings bigger than males?

On average, female buntings are about four grams lighter and slightly shorter than males. This difference won’t help you differentiate gender in the field, although it is statistically significant.

behavioral difference

Mature male and female buntings are easily identified by their appearance. They also exhibit very different behaviors, which allows for some interesting observations. Read on to learn how to tell these birds apart by their different behaviors.

action

Painted buntings are migratory songbirds that winter in Mexico, Central America, and southern Florida. Female buntings usually arrive at spring breeding grounds a week later than males.

courtship and display

During the breeding season, male buntings are very expressive birds. They can be extremely aggressive towards other males and even engage in deadly fights. Males also pin females to the floor before pulling their feathers.

However, not all of their actions are violent. Males also make elaborate displays in the air and on the ground when courting females.

Female buntings are relatively quiet and docile, which helps distinguish them from immature males. They do, however, perform a soliciting display that involves crouching down with their head tilted upward and their tail raised and held forward.

Female Bunting Collecting Nesting Material

sing and call

Male buntings call out during the spring breeding season, and their melodious songs belie an aggressive nature. Watch out for these colorful birds singing and claiming their territory in prominent perches.

Birdwatchers can spot two or more singing males as they often engage in “shouting contests” with their neighbors!

Female buntings are usually quiet and do not sing.However, they do produce chips or nausea Call when panicked. Females also call their chicks softly when feeding, although this can only be heard at very close range.

Female painted bunting perched on a cedar pole

nesting and feeding

nest

Painted buntings are usually monogamous during the breeding season. The female builds the nest alone, although both partners participate in choosing the site. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest in low vegetation, which takes only a few days to build.

Spawning, hatching and brooding

Female buntings lay three to four eggs per clutch. They usually lay one egg each morning. She sits alone on the eggs and develops a brood area to help transfer heat to the developing embryos. The eggs hatch after about 11 days, and she removes the shells from the nest to avoid attracting predators. She then broods the chicks alone.

feed

During the nesting season, female buntings feed themselves and their chicks alone. The young feed on protein-rich insects such as caterpillars and beetles and grow rapidly. She will continue to feed them after they leave the nest, but if they attempt to hatch a second time, she will hand over this responsibility to the male.

Female (left) and male (right) painted buntings at a feeder

Can a female painted bunting raise her young alone?

Female painted buntings do almost all the work of raising their young. They build nests, incubate eggs, brood chicks, and provide for themselves and their offspring. They can raise the first litter alone, but the second litter needs help.

Successful pairs will attempt a second or even third brood during the breeding season. The male painted bunting takes over the current brood, allowing the female to lay eggs and hatch the next brood.

Female bunting flies away after bathing in South Texas

common problem

What color is the female bunting?

Female buntings are generally green in color. Their underparts are lighter in color with a yellowish tint. Their large eyes appear black, and their beaks and feet are black.

Can the female bunting bark?

Female buntings are quieter. They make very soft calls when feeding their chicks, and may sound the alarm when arrested or threatened.

Can female buntings sing?

The female bunting cannot sing. Singing buntings that appear to be females are likely immature males.