lazuli bunting

by Amy Gross

catch a glimpse of this quintessential New Mexican bird

AT FIRST IT DIDN’T QUITE REGISTER. Oh, a Western bluebird, I thought, noting the flash of bright blue and rust rummaging on the ground beneath the feeder. But no! It took me a second to realize the bird sporting this color combo didn’t belong to any of my usual visitors.

I was looking at my first-ever lazuli bunting. And what a thrill it was!

The lazuli bunting is a bird common to the Western and Southwestern parts of the country, and I like to think that its fondness for elevation, and its bright turquoise head, makes it the quintessential New Mexican bird. That’s not to say, however, that lazuli buntings are commonly seen. It’s a rare treat when one makes its presence known, but when one does, it seems several do—all over—and birders around our state begin eagerly sharing their sightings in birding groups and online forums.

Named for the dazzling royal-turquoise blue of its head, back and tail feathers, the lazuli bunting has a russet neck, white chest and a white streak on its wings that’s easily visible even without binoculars. It’s a passerine (perching songbird) that lives in open woodlands and scrubby areas, and will come to feeders, especially if you put out a seed called white proso millet. (Tip: You might need to buy white proso millet online, or at your favorite local bird supply store.)

Male and female lazuli buntings are dimorphous, meaning they look very different from one another. The stunning male lazuli bunting has a pretty, high-pitched song, and uses it to aggressively defend his territory—which is why, though you may see couples together, you’re unlikely to see flocks of these birds. The female has similar wing markings to the male but is a drab grayish-brown. Unlike her Adonis boyfriend, she’s easy to overlook.

You may be hard-pressed to spot a lazuli bunting in your everyday birding endeavors, but keep eyes peeled for that telltale flash of turquoise and orange. He’ll show up. This beautiful songbird is a true Southwestern treasure. I think it’s why ornithologist David Allen Sibley chose a singing lazuli bunting as the cover bird for his “Sibley Birds West,” a superbly illustrated field guide to the birds of the Central and Western parts of the U.S., and my personal favorite birding book.

Amy Gross is a birder and the organizer of Santa Fe Birdbrains, a Northern New Mexico–based Meetup group.