The Indigo Bunting is a small, migratory songbird, best recognized by the male’s vibrant cerulean plumage during the breeding season. Its diet is a flexible, omnivorous mix of plant and animal matter. The bunting adapts its food intake precisely to the nutritional demands of its life cycle and the availability of food throughout the year. Understanding these preferences is key for those hoping to observe this species in their own backyard.
The Core Diet Seeds and Insects
The Indigo Bunting is classified as a seed-eating bird, possessing a specialized, conical beak suited for cracking hard outer shells. Their wild diet includes small seeds harvested from weedy plants and grasses. Common sources include thistles, dandelions, goldenrods, and various grains like oats.
These birds also rely heavily on soft, wild fruits and berries, which provide important carbohydrates and hydration. They consume berries from plants such as strawberries, blueberries, elderberries, and serviceberries. Foraging occurs at all levels, from plucking seeds off tall stems to gleaning food from the ground or low-lying shrubs.
The bunting’s diet is omnivorous, as they consume a wide array of arthropods. Protein from insects and spiders is important for muscle development and feather health. They feed on caterpillars, grasshoppers, cicadas, and various beetles, including weevils and click beetles.
How Their Diet Changes Throughout the Year
The dietary composition shifts dramatically to meet the biological requirements of the breeding season and migration. During spring and summer, the proportion of protein-rich insects consumed increases significantly. This high-protein intake supports the adults’ demands for territory defense, mating, and egg production.
The protein requirement is highest during the nesting period when adults are feeding their young. Nestlings rely on an insect-heavy diet, which delivers the amino acids necessary for rapid skeletal and feather growth. Young birds leave the nest about nine to twelve days after hatching, meaning their initial growth phase is highly dependent on soft-bodied insects and spiders delivered by the parents.
As the breeding season ends, the diet transitions toward high-energy sources like seeds and fruits to prepare for migration. The emphasis shifts from protein to carbohydrates and fats for energy reserves needed for long-distance travel. During the wintering months, the birds primarily feed on small grass seeds and buds, often foraging in flocks.
Preferred Foods for Backyard Feeders
To attract Indigo Buntings, offering specific supplemental food is most effective, especially during spring and fall migration. Their small beaks favor small seeds like Nyjer (thistle seed) and fine white proso millet. Millet is a particularly well-documented favorite that can be offered in a blend or alone. Sunflower chips (hulled sunflower seeds) are also highly attractive because they are easier to consume than seeds still in the shell.
These small seeds are best placed in hopper feeders or tube feeders equipped with small perches. The Indigo Bunting is also a ground forager and will readily eat seeds that have fallen below a feeder.
Bird enthusiasts sometimes offer sugar water, which provides a temporary, high-calorie boost for migrating individuals. Offering live or dried mealworms can also be successful, as this mimics the insect protein they seek, particularly in the summer.