Mexican Bird of the Month: Varied Bunting

Passerina versicolor

By Biól. Oscar Rodríguez Ramos

May 6, 2026

The bird of the month of May is a small yet colorful little buddy, the Varied Bunting. The buntings
are birds similar to sparrows but with incredible colors. The Varied Bunting has plumage featuring a diverse range of colors such as blue, red, purple, and violet.

Their color pattern can vary quite a bit among individuals, thus the name Varied Bunting, so you won’t find two birds that are exactly alike. Or at least that’s the case with the males. As with many other bird species, the males are the ones with the striking colors, while the females have a more discreet plumage.

This is a migratory species; we can find them in the region during the winter months. Once spring arrives, they migrate to the north and center of the country. However, at the VBG, we can find some individuals who, like some human visitors, decide to extend their stay to continue enjoying the region’s natural beauty.

When you visit the Garden, pay close attention to the bird feeders located near the trail to the river, have your camera ready, and be patient; because this is the Varied Buntings’ favorite spot. Here you can find the Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor), the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), the Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), and the Blue Bunting (Cyanocompsa parellina), along with other seed-eating birds.

We invite you to come to the VBG to discover this beautiful bird and see if you can find all four Bunting species and answer the question our friend Mark Stackhouse asked us:
Which of the buntings is the most beautiful of all?