That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

The colors of North American’s Buntings rival those of any tropical bird.  Several species are popularly kept in Europe, Asia and Latin America, but laws limit the availability of most in the USA (check a local Softbill Society for legal specimens).  I recently wrote about the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), one of the most colorful of the group (please see article below). Today we’ll discuss the Rainbow, Indigo, Versicolor and Lazuli Buntings.

In General

There are a few husbandry tips that apply to all Buntings.  One of the least known is that they relish the resin produced by pine and spruce trees.  Branches from these trees will keep your birds busy for hours.  Many aviculturists believe that something in the resin helps to keep the birds in good color as well. Read More »