Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
I found this pair of birds sitting on my front walk one afternoon in May. It was a beautiful spring day. When neither bird flew away, I went to my truck for the camcorder. The birds continued to passively sit on the pavement. I was able to approach to within 5 feet. The male Indigo Bunting had some ruffled feathers on one side of its head. And it was nearest the door. I have a glass storm door in place. My theory for this peculiar behavior was that male had flown into the glass and knocked himself silly. The other bird I took to be a female Indigo Bunting that was bravely keeping her mate company until he recovered. When I leaned down for an even closer camera angle, they both flew off. I originally posted the pictures as examples of male and female Indigo Buntings. A website visitor pointed out that the female looked more like an Eastern Wood Pewee, Contopus virens. I had to agree. Apparently, both birds flew into the glass door at the same time.
January 13, 2002