Male - South of Big Rock, Lucas Valley Drive, Marin, California - April 2004
Credit: Len Blumin

North American field guide

Lazuli Bunting

Passerina amoena

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Identification

Field notes

14 cm (5-6") Fairly common. Western North America. Open deciduous or mixed woodlands, chaparral, streamside shrubs.

Male: turquoise-blue above and on throat. Breast and sides are cinnamon. White belly. White wing bars.

Female: grayish-brown unstreaked above. Lighter below with a buffy wash on throat and breast. Some blue in wings and tail. Bluish-gray rump.

Hybrids occur with Indigo Bunting where ranges overlap.

Song: lively and usually paired like Indigo Bunting's but faster.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Lazuli Bunting (Male)

1 rule
Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4
What was the sex of the bird ?
Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
Blue · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Blue · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Warbler-like · Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:884-lazuli-bunting-male:1:1 Source: 884 Lazuli Bunting (Male), row 1

Lazuli Bunting (Female)

1 rule
Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 4
What was the sex of the bird ?
Female · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?
No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Warbler-like · Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:885-lazuli-bunting-female:1:1 Source: 885 Lazuli Bunting (Female), row 1