A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2006 Indigo Bunting Q's

http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa071997.htm

I received a newsletter about Indigo Buntings today. I have seen these birds in the woods that is across the street from my house, in summer..I did not see anything in the article re what attracts Indigo Buntings to your yard.

They will live in the woods across the street but will not come into my yard to visit..<pout>

Does ANYBODY know what attracts Indigo Buntings??
What do they like to eat??

I am not sure what they like. Buntings are related to Sparrows so may like millet based seed spread on the ground like most sparrows and Juncos do. They tend to prefer heavier wooded areas and forests so may be more insect eaters than seed eaters. Also they are Migratory and are not here in the Winter. They also change color to a coppery-brown in late Summer or early Fall. The Female Indigo Buntings are ALWAYS brown with some blue highlights. I have NEVER seen these Buntings in my yard or at any feeders although the woods across the road from my house are full of Indigo Buntings.

The article says that they are captured in South America and sold as caged birds. So maybe they instinctively stay away from humans for that reason.

I get Indigos through here every year. One thing that I have noticed is that they like to feed on the ground,but only around shrubs and trees. I've never seen them on the ground in the wide open. I have birdfeeders next to a 15ft shrub and they eat the seed that falls on the ground,you never see them around the other feeders that are in the open.

If you have any trees in your yard try putting some feeders in them or if you have some large shrubs try putting some feeders near them. You could also put some food on the ground around shrubs or bushy areas and see if that works

Hope this helps!

G-Mom

Thanks GardenMom: I have 6 cats and my neighbor has 3...I would be afraid to put food on the ground just because of the cats. My cats stay away from the feeders and birds because I trained them to stay away by throwing a basketball at them or chasing them whenever they got near the feeders or any birds in the lawn...My neighbors cats on the other hand are predators. I feed them all including my neighbors cats to keep them full. So they usually do not need to even look at the birds. I am working on training my neighbors cats...I guess I will just have to settle for watching them play in the woods across the street for now.

We have lots of Indigo Buntings come in the spring . They feed on the ground in the lawn along our driveway . I've seen them in the open feeder also . I put mixed seed in it . I believe they prefer open areas .
We have cats , but I have never seen them catch an Indigo Bunting .