The Painted Bunting (\(Passerina\) \(ciris\)) is one of North America’s most colorful songbirds, earning it the French nickname “nonpareil,” meaning “without equal.” This short- to medium-distance migrant belongs to the eastern population, which spends the winter in the southeastern United States. The annual southward journey makes its arrival in Florida a major event for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. Understanding the timing of this migration is the first step toward observing this stunning visitor.
The Wintering Season: Arrival Timing in Florida
The fall migration of the eastern Painted Bunting population, which breeds along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to northern Florida, begins relatively early. While some individuals may start to move south as early as mid-August, the main arrival window in central and south Florida occurs from early October through mid-November. This timing allows the birds to escape the early cold fronts that signal the end of the breeding season further north.
This eastern population undertakes a direct, nocturnal migration to their wintering grounds in southern Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. They complete their pre-migration molt before departing their breeding territories, ensuring they are in peak condition for the journey.
Once they arrive, Painted Buntings settle into their winter routine, remaining in Florida for the entire season. This extended period makes them a true winter resident, rather than just a brief stopover migrant.
Spotting the Species: Identifying Painted Buntings
The plumage of the adult male Painted Bunting makes it one of the most recognizable birds in the state. Males display a striking combination of a dark blue head, a verdant green back, and a cherry-red throat and underparts. This distinct, multi-hued coloration is fully attained by the male in his second year of life.
Identification becomes a greater challenge when observing the females and younger birds, often called “greenies.” These individuals are monomorphic, presenting a uniform, bright yellowish-green over their entire bodies. They also exhibit a noticeable pale eye-ring, a helpful feature when separating them from other small, plain green or yellow finches and sparrows.
Both sexes are small, measuring between 4.7 and 5.5 inches in length, and possess a thick, conical bill suitable for cracking seeds. First-year males are indistinguishable from adult females, as they do not acquire their signature colors until the following year. Observing a green bird singing a high-pitched, warbling song is the best way to determine that it is a young male, since females do not vocalize in this manner.
Florida Habitats and Preferred Foraging Areas
Painted Buntings seek out environments that offer dense protective cover and abundant food sources. They favor shrubby habitats, including coastal scrub, overgrown thickets, and the edges of maritime hammocks. They are a secretive species that spends most of its time low to the ground, often hidden within the dense vegetation.
The winter diet consists primarily of seeds, which they forage for by hopping along the ground beneath the cover of bushes. They consume a variety of small seeds, including those from grasses and weeds like bristle grass, pigweed, and panic grass. They are sometimes seen flying up to a plant stalk, pulling the seed head down with their beak, and holding it with a foot while feeding.
In suburban areas of central and south Florida, these birds are also attracted to backyard feeders, especially those stocked with white millet. They prefer feeders placed near dense shrubs, which provide a quick escape route from predators. Providing this combination of suitable cover and preferred seed can increase the likelihood of hosting these winter guests.
The Spring Migration: When They Leave
The spring migration begins as Painted Buntings prepare to return to their northern breeding grounds. Departure from Florida generally begins in mid-March and continues through early May. Most of the wintering population has typically moved north by April.
The birds become noticeably more restless just before their nocturnal departure, sometimes exhibiting increased foraging activity to fuel their long flight. They migrate north toward breeding territories that extend up the Atlantic coast into the Carolinas and inland across Georgia. The males may begin singing their soft, rambling songs in Florida as early as mid-March, a behavior associated with establishing territories upon arrival.
The spring departure completes the annual cycle for this species, moving them toward the warmer climates and insect-rich environments of their breeding range. Individuals that remain in Florida after this period are typically part of the state’s small, non-migratory breeding population found in the northern coastal regions.