Orange-breasted bunting facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orange-breasted bunting |
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| Conservation status | |
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Passerina
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| Species: |
leclancherii
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The orange-breasted bunting (Passerina leclancherii) is a small, colorful bird that belongs to the Cardinalidae family. It is found only in Mexico. This bird lives in dry forests and bushy areas.
Experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature say this bird is of "least concern". This means it has a wide range and a large population, so it is not currently in danger.
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About the Orange-Breasted Bunting
The orange-breasted bunting grows to be about 12.5 cm (5 in) long. This makes it a bit smaller than the rose-bellied bunting, another bird found in the same areas.
What Do They Look Like?
The adult male orange-breasted bunting is very colorful. It has a pale green head and a bright blue-green back. Its tail is also turquoise. The area around its eyes and its belly are bright yellow. This yellow color turns into a golden-orange on its chest.
The adult female looks a bit different. She has greenish-grey upper parts and yellow underparts. Both males and females have dark brown eyes and grey beaks and legs.
Their Song
The song of the orange-breasted bunting is a gentle, somewhat sad-sounding warble. It is slower and not as long as the songs of other birds in its group.
Where They Live and What They Like
The orange-breasted bunting lives only in Mexico. You can find it along the Pacific coast in states like Nayarit, Jalisco, and Guerrero. Its home area covers about 276,000 km2 (107,000 sq mi).
Their Favorite Places
This bird likes to live in dry forests and shrubland. It also enjoys thorny bushes, woodlands, and the edges of forests. They can be found at heights up to about 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level.
Sometimes, these birds are not found in all areas that seem like good homes for them. They are more common in areas where forests have grown back after being cut down, rather than in untouched forests. In 1941, some of these birds were brought to the Hawaiian island of Oahu. However, they did not stay and were gone by 1952.
Life and Habits
Orange-breasted buntings often look for food in small groups. Sometimes, they search for food in pairs.
What Do They Eat?
Scientists have not studied the exact diet of this bird very much. However, most buntings in this bird group eat seeds. They also eat some fruits and small insects.
Birds kept in captivity have been known to eat seeds like white millet, hemp seed, and thistle seed. They also enjoy sweet apples, ant cocoons, and mealworms.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Orange-breasted buntings lay their eggs during the wet season. This usually happens in May and June.
The nest is shaped like a cup. It is made from small roots, grasses, and dry leaves. The inside of the nest is softer. They build their nests in low bushes or thick scrub. A female bird usually lays three or four eggs. These eggs are bluish-white or greenish-white.
Their Conservation Status
The orange-breasted bunting is doing well. It lives in a large area and has many birds in its population. No major threats have been found for this bird, and its numbers seem to be steady. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has said its conservation status is "least concern." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
