Birding is possibly like hunting.
I don’t know what a hunter feels when he finds his prey, but
I get an adrenaline rush when I see a new bird, especially a bird like a Painted
Bunting. Painted Buntings are
spectacular, but not rare. They
are declining in number, though, and listed as near threatened due to habitat
loss. Their breeding range is
limited in the United States to mainly Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi
and the coastal Carolinas. So for a
Wisconsin guy, finding one raises your adrenaline level, just like the hunt.
That is when the multi-blade, institutional sized, mega-horsepower lawn-monster-mower showed up to cut the grass under his territorial tree. Smartly he flew away again. The howling, growling grass grinding machine cycled back and forth for a half an hour under his tree. By this time I was sure he had moved to another state.
I was wrong and when he came back to claim his territory
with a song, I was waiting for him.
Because I was there before he returned, maybe he didn’t notice me or
maybe he just accepted me.
Territories are important to male Painted Buntings. Maybe he couldn’t defend his territory
against a lawnmower, but he returned to defend it against any other male
Painted Bunting. Male Painted Buntings
are known to defend boundaries to the death. This one didn’t seem to have any competition, but he was
voicing his property rights none the less.
I’m glad I hunt with a camera because to describe this bird is challenging. Only a picture or a painting can do him justice. A songbird-sized version of a tropical parrot is about the best I could do in words. A pheasant or peacock possibly compares in color, but for the most part this is a trophy bird to a birder from Wisconsin.
I’m glad I hunt with a camera because to describe this bird is challenging. Only a picture or a painting can do him justice. A songbird-sized version of a tropical parrot is about the best I could do in words. A pheasant or peacock possibly compares in color, but for the most part this is a trophy bird to a birder from Wisconsin.
Allan
June 20, 2012
Saw one for the 1st time this afternoon at our bird bath & bird feeder area in Brandon, FL. Took our breath away, he is so beautiful! He did not evolve! He was created! :0)
ReplyDeleteOops! Meant to say "Thank you for your beautiful pictures & your written account." We found your site while trying to identify this beautiful bird & loved your story.
ReplyDelete