Indigo Bunting

Passerina cyanea

Silhouette: Jonah Duckles · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
GenusPasserina (North American Buntings)
SpeciesPasserina cyanea (Indigo Bunting)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Joshua Tree National Park

1 Verified sightings at Joshua Tree National Park From 2019 to 2026

14,409 Verified sightings across all 63 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Indigo Bunting

The indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) is a small seed-eating bird in the cardinal family, Cardinalidae. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the stars to navigate. Its habitat is farmland, brush areas, and open woodland. The indigo bunting is closely related to the lazuli bunting and interbreeds with the species where their ranges overlap.

The indigo bunting is a small bird, measuring 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5.1 in) in length. It displays sexual dimorphism in its coloration; the male is vibrant blue in the summer, with brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. It is brown during the winter months, while the female is brown year-round. Nest-building and incubation are done solely by the female. The diet of the indigo bunting consists primarily of insects during the summer months and seeds during the winter months.

The indigo bunting is included in the family Cardinalidae, which is made up of passerine birds found in North and South America, and is one of seven birds in the genus Passerina... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Passerina amoena

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina caerulea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina ciris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Piranga ludoviciana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cardinalis sinuatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Piranga olivacea

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Pheucticus melanocephalus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Piranga rubra

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Spiza americana

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Corvus corax

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
2	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
3	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
4	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
5	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
6	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
7	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
8	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
9	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
10	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
11	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
12	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
13	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
14	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
15	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
16	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
17	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
18	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
19	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
20	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
21	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
22	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
23	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
24	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
25	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
26	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
27	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
28	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
29	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
30	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
31	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
32	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
33	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
34	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
35	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
36	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
37	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	<5%
38	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
39	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
40	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
41	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
42	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
43	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
44	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
45	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
46	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
47	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
48	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
49	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
50	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
51	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
52	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
53	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
54	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
55	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
56	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
57	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
58	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	Insufficient data
59	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
60	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
61	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
62	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
63	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data

← Back to Joshua Tree National Park

Indigo Bunting

About the Indigo Bunting

Recent sightings of Indigo Bunting in Joshua Tree National Park

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Lazuli Bunting

Blue Grosbeak

Painted Bunting

Western Tanager

Pyrrhuloxia

Scarlet Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Summer Tanager

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Dickcissel

Common Raven

House Finch

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found