INDIGO BUNTING 
9? 
The Indigo-bird arrives in the Southern States from the direction of 
Mexico, along with its relative the Painted Finch, and is caught in trap- 
cages, but with more difficulty than the latter bird. It spreads far and wide 
over the United States, extending from the borders of our Atlantic shores 
to those of our great lakes. It is not a forest bird, but prefers the skirts of 
the woods, the little detached thickets in and along the fields, the meadows, 
the gardens, and orchards, and is frequently seen hopping along, or perched 
on a fence, from which it does not disdain to send forth its pretty little 
song. The highest top of a detached tree is, however, preferred for this 
purpose, and the Indigo-bird is to be observed perched on this pinnacle, 
singing at short intervals for half an hour at a time. Its song is at first loud 
and clear, falling in cadences to a very low key. The whole consists of 
eight or ten notes. The bird now and then launches into the air, to cross a 
field, and sings until it has espied a favourite spot amongst the clover, when 
it immediately becomes silent and dives to the ground. The whole of this 
parade is performed by the male, which is alone to be seen, the female at 
this season keeping amongst the grass or the briars along the fields, where 
her humble plumage hides her in a great measure from observation. Some 
persons have thought that this practice was changed towards the latter part 
of summer, when, by a casual observer, only the females are to be seen. 
The true reason of this, however, is, that the young birds of both sexes 
resemble the mother during the first season. 
The Indigo-bird is an active and lively little fellow, possesses much 
elegance in his shape, and also a certain degree of firmness in his make, 
which renders him equally a favourite with the Painted Finch, although he 
does not possess the variegated plumage of the latter. When the male of 
the species now before you is in full plumage, the richness of his apparel 
cannot fail to attract and please the eye of any observer. It is highly glossy, 
and changes from the brightest azure to green, when placed in a strong light. 
It requires three years to attain this perfect state. The female continues 
in the same very humble vesture which nature first accorded to her. The 
males, in the first spring, and not unfrequently during the first autumn, are 
mottled with dull light blue, interspersed among the original deep buff of 
their earlier stage. The blue increases in extent, and acquires a deeper tint, 
as the age of the bird advances. I have often seen males two years old 
which were still much inferior in the beauty of their plumage to those which 
had passed through three springs. Should the birds be caught when in full 
plumage, they gradually lose their brilliant tints, which at length become 
extremely dull. A similar alteration is observed to take place in Painted 
Finches which have been kept in cages for a certain period, as well as in the 
Vol. III. 16 
