Monroe Outdoors
When Monroe County resident Rosanne Tyner returned home after a brief trip to Macon on the afternoon of April 27, little did she realize that something was about to happen that would transform an ordinary spring day into one she will never forget.
As it turned out this dedicated backyard birder was about to see what was probably the first verified sighting of a painted bunting in Monroe County.
The painted bunting is about the size of our well-known chipping sparrow. Many call it the most beautiful songbird in America. Its plumage is truly a patchwork of stunning colors.
It is so gorgeous many people that reside in Louisiana call it nonpareil (the French word for without equal). Throughout Mexico, folks know its seven colors. If you are fortunate enough to spot the brightly colored jewel, you immediately understand why is it has such descriptive names. In addition, you cannot help but wonder why it is not flying about a tropical forest.
The male painted bunting has a blue-violet head; its back is yellowish-green; its eye ring, rump, and underside are red. In comparison, the female is green across its back and lemon yellow on its underside.
After returning home this special Thursday Rosanne scanned the bank of feeders arranged along the deck rimming the spacious solarium at the back of her house. For some reason, one of the many birds feeding or flying to and from her feeders looked different.
Since the small bird was dining on the backside of a tall feeder containing suet plugs, she could not tell what it was. Eventually, the bird flew to the berry-laden bough of a nearby red cedar tree. When the bird landed, I can only imagine how thrilled she was when she realized she was looking at a male painted bunting.
The bunting remained in the tree for quite some time before flying back to the feeders. During its feeding forays, the bird dined on peanut butter suet cakes and plugs as well as dried mealworms.
Much to her delight a painted bunting returned the next day and resumed feeding. This bird appeared slimmer than the bird she saw the previous day. Since she never did see more than one painted bunting at a time she was unsure whether she was hosting one or two birds. However, after carefully studying multiple pictures taken each day, she noted that, in addition to being slimmer, the tail of one of the birds was shorter.
This convinced her that two adult male painted buntings were feeding in her yard.
The bird she saw Saturday, April 29 ate food alongside a number of other birds including downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, cardinals, tufted titmice, Carolina chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, house finches, blue jays, and bluebirds.
The birds did not reappear Sunday, April 30. Rosanne believes the heavy rain and strong winds that struck Monroe County the previous night might have influenced the birds’ departure.
There are two populations of painted buntings in the United States. The birds that breed in Georgia are members of the Eastern Population. In Georgia, they primarily breed along the Coast. However, the Georgia Breeding Bird Atlas Project documented breeding taking place inland in several counties located in the Coastal Plain. Some of the birds actually nest each year in and around Macon’s Central City Park.
The Eastern population of painted buntings winter from central Florida to the Bahamas, Cuba and other Caribbean Islands and points southward.
Occasionally, painted buntings linger in the United States during the winter. In fact, in 2015, a painted bunting wintered in New York City’s Central Park.
You might recall last year I devoted a Monroe Outdoors column to Rosanne’s sighting of another rare bird. In March 2022 a western tanager fed at her feeders. That was the first time the western tanager was documented in the county.
You might be asking yourself, “How does she see birds the rest of us do not see in our backyards?” I believe it is more than just luck. I have known Rosanne for many years. During that time I have found her to be one of the most dedicated backyard birders I have ever met.
She watches birds at her feeders for hours every week. She is able to see lots of birds because her large solarium is surrounded by large windows that face out onto a yard surrounded by a large cedar and mature hardwoods. Along the rail of her deck at the back of the solarium are bevy feeders that she keeps well stocked with a variety of seeds and suet. Water is also available to the birds.
Rosanne is also an extremely keen observer. Knowing that subtle traits sometimes separate one species from another, she takes detailed notes of the unusual birds that she spots. Knowing that unless she carefully documents they will not be recognized by the Georgia Ornithological Society, she keeps a camera poised atop a tripod ready to take a picture of any odd bird that might appear.
She has been rewarded for her attention to detail, providing birds with a variety of food and water, coupled with knowledge and perseverance. I wonder what she will see next.
Terry Johnson is a retired Program Manager of the Georgia Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program. He has written the informative column ‘Monroe Outdoors’ for the Reporter for many years. His book, “A Journey to Discovery,” is available at The Reporter. Email him at tjwoodduck@bellsouth.net.
