Painted Bunting’s Endangered?

About the middle of April the orange groves near New Orleans, Louisiana are full of Painted

Bunting’s, which are a type of beautiful little finch. As the Painted Buntings appear in the groves so do the bird trappers. In the area around New Orleans trapping the male Painted Bunting is a business that has resulted in the steady decline of these beautiful birds since about 1965.

A male is shot and stuffed in a defensive attitude, and perched among some grass-seed, rice, or other food. The stuffed male is then placed on the same platform as the trap cage and the trap is set. When another male Painted Bunting spots this male it dives at it with all the anger this little bird an pocess. It alights on the edge of the trap for a moment and then throws it’s weight againted the stuffed male and the trap is set. The live bird is removed to the lower compartment of the bird trap and then assists in traping other males.

The male Painted Bunting is one of North America’s most colorful birds, which is the reason for the traping of these of these beautiful birds for sale as caged birds in North America and Europe.

Painted Burning Facts:

Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris) are only found in two populations, one in the south-central United States, and one along the seaboard of the Southeastern United States.

The Paited Bunting’s French name is “nonpareil,” which means without an equal

The Creoles of Louisiana have give this bird the name of “Pape.”

A Courting male displays to a potential mate by flattening himself out on the ground, spreading his wings and tail, and fluffing his plumage much like a miniature turkey gobbler.

The Female lays four or five eggs, each a beautiful pearly, rather bluish colour, speckled with blackish, and are deposited in a simply constructed nest.

Painted Bunting’s are very territorial during the nesting season, but associate in flocks the rest of the year.