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Home My WebLink AboutMay 06, 2004 - A bounty of buntings The Suffolk Times • May 6, 2004 • oun o un 1 n s KCN WAS"1'RYINCi TO C�eC1Cje Wllet}lel' "�ll ��','�' "n � �µy/�ppu/�� i � � i �� i� � � � ( ,�, � � r ��i , l �r #i i ,� � � the blue-colored bird he was seeing �"��'�� , �' � � "�� /� "�"��;��, ��^,� � ��''��'�w��"' � � � foraging for grain in the disked-up '� �� "��-� �,,,M , ��'�� , ��y, field was a blue grosbeak or an indi- � �'/ q��" ��r�� lil��ll �, � �lu �rvnrlu � �V j ��i�li� I dlr��p�'" l 1 � go bunting.As we all stood around, ,�� '� �� !„„' i� , � ��i'� i,�i�ll!�i�� (� ��119'��i,�q „� � �� each one checking with his or her � �' �� ' � d ' �� binoculars,it �� was determined ��'.V$ � � . that this was �,�, ��' r�� , : indeed a beauti- ' r ON ful male indigo ,'i HATURE bunting,its colo �,'� � by Paul a brilliant,iri- '� Stoutenburgf� descent blue,its ' beak,which it %�' fi, uses to get into seeds,heavy. It was a beautiful sight ,��„� �rv�� " " ��!� z' , , � N � as we all stood watching it. � ��M� �° �� „�y, �i �I . n �n n r �� u � n �,� ��„ Indigo buntings in the sprmg leave , "�° N �� ,� Ai,„y �„„�� ` � ��w� p�, Central America,where the have °� 'N ^�,� Y � 1trNi�i�N� ��l�h r ill`l iill l�4rrl� � i wintered away from winter's cold, ""�"�''"' `" u�,� µ,��"N�iNi�" „Y�� M� � µ.'° ,,, , ,, �� and fl OVeL 1,��)U 1771�eS t0 tl]e1T' t�'u�"��" m��°�ix '��u✓�i"�'i i ll� �ll��N�l�'/✓lll�ll�h�l�i�h��l✓/ �`��h i Y u ll� �w��i �� j��vrv�ll��l�j�Jll u�in�r�/rh '� i s rin and summer homes from the � r '� ' " � � �� "�'�� !; �, �,�� r„��,�iu,��,,,,�� % � P g ��r�„ , � � � �� „��ri,x ��r�, � , Gulf Coast all the way up to southern ; %��ti;�iHNr��9��i��,r�"��qr�%"p��;��;�,r��,��iu'i�i'l''�ui;°��y� ,u% �wN, ' �.^,��i , �„� �, ,��,i�4�" �� /�i�� ✓�x,��li �/i�"�� li�� ..� uiii�� , CarilCla.�10 CT18je,�11Ce I]lall Ot�lel' i qtil rl ��r�r r°✓,� i��iti�i rr � � �� '�I w��TM��ll i�� ; i q�i i �" �'l ��i'1�� Nll�rN�/l� r, � I��„a, birds,migrates first and sets up a ter- �n,� � �� u��i�%�� m�� ,, � �� ,� , �� , ritory in preparation for the female, ' � �� . who follows a few weeks later.After v' the nest is built and eggs are laid,the drab-colored female incubates the three to four eggs for 12 to 13 days. The male brings her food and occa- -�llese birds are not common to This unusual-looking duek sionally relieves her from nest duty. L�»�� Island and few are ever seen (left) somehow found its way Once the clutch has left the nest,the here.They are threatened by urban- into a local creek. It's a tan pair may split up,often taking differ- ization of their breeding grounds.My ent partners and nests for the next and white runner, which, clutch!That sounds familiar in only photographic record of an indi- because of its vertical pos- today's world. go bunting was when I was with ture, has been nicknamed Researchers have discovered that Dennis Puleston and we found one "Penguin Duck" or "Bottle indigo buntings get their bearings nesting in North Haven some 40 Neck." from the stars on their long migrator years ago. flights.Once settled back in their In researching the indigo bunting winter quarters in Central America, N'e found our own Roy Latham is the Caribbean and parts of South America,indigos form large flocks and roost and forage together for grain and seed. Because of their bril- lianti color and beautiful song,they are often captured attheir winter home and sold as caged songbirds in Europe. �� 'li�„ �� °' B�� U�n l �� ' I /� n l yl,� ��1 � r! i� �, „�"�N ,r r � i r/ il��l�,i� ,�i,, N��il,r„�� """��)� i�' '�°��u � �iy��,��Vd� �u , ✓�rn�,l lu � r µN^ N� � i ��°''�"' �"� �'""� ro� �� with its brilliant array of red,blue ��, �� " "�,� ' H��°� ,� � and green colors.We called the Rare � �� , , „ ,� '` µ' �"''" �� a � ��„ �� Bird Alert to report the sighting and �� , �„„,„ �,�� ' � � , �� learned that the only other sighting � '°��u� ' " � �"", �,�y�y,� � ;'',�' �� anywhere near here had been last �� ia r„ ` ,/�� r �„ , �M �'""'� ,�� December in East Shoreham. � �'U �u� �� „ ��:, � � Painted buntings winter from the � � „�,�, ,µ,W,�,�u � � � 'p�p� �q� ��'';�� Gulf States down to IIIIIlgO Panama.These,along buntings �'�th indigo buntings, get their have been trapped in cages outside the Above: The indigo bearings United States in we drove down and there t ey were, bunting, with his brilliant from the Mexico and Central these iridescent jet black ducks that iridescent blue color, brings America and then looked somewhat like overgrown the flavor of the tropics to us. Stars on sold as caged birds to black ducks,along with two light tan- their a very lucrative mar- and-white ducks with long necks and migratory ket in Europe and legs that looked out of proportion other countries.One compared to our regular ducks.We'd fllghtS. investigator estimates quote in John Bull's`Birds of New that as man as never seen anything quite like them York State":"I am aware of only a y before. 22,000 painted buntings were trapped What often ha ens is that eo le single wintez record in New York on and exported for the caged-bird trade pp p p Long Island that remained at a feed- who buy chicks or ducklings because in Mexico alone during 2000-2001. they are so cute often find they are er in Riverhead all through How this painted bunting got here December of 1957." not so easy to take care of,so they let is anyone's guess.Perhaps it was thcm go,not realizing that domesti- Diane called me the other day blown in by a storm and there's from Southold all excited about ' catcd ducks are not equipped to live always the possibility that the bird in the wild as there are all sorts of watching a painted bunting at her seen in Southold could have been an feeder for two days.Now there's a escapee. It's illegal,and I repeat it is hazards that can befall them— bird to get excited about! It's almost power boats,foxes,raccoons,ctc. never seen up here in the North.It's illegal,to keep any of our wild birds We checked on these odd-looking a bird of the more semitropical areas �n cages.Perhaps someone bought ducks in Murray McMurray's catalog the bird not knowing the law and of domesticated ducks and chickens. of our country. when they found out it was illegal to One day it's an indigo bunting,the kee it,the let the bird o.This ha Sure enough,we found the black next it's a painted bunting! Wow! It p y g p- ducks to be Cayuga ducks,which are pens with birds of all sorts. wasn't long before Barbara and I For exam le Dwi ht called from known primarily for their brilliant were up at Diane's house hoping to Mattituck the other da and said he beetle' green plumage.The tan-and- see this rare and beautiful bird,but y white ones are called tan and white had seen some peculiar-looking runners.These ducks were develo luck wasn't with us.We decided we'd ducks in the creek.They looked like in Scotland around 1900 from stock d have to go back.So on Monday ducks or geese but not like anything that came from the East Indies. morning at 7 we were there and spent he had ever seen.So,being curious, probably six hours over the next two These uniquely appearing ducks days sitting and waiting for it to have long,slender bodies and a verti- return.It never did.It was discourag- cal posture,thus leading to their nick- ing.What a thrill it would have been names of"Penguin Ducks"or`Bottle to see that rare painted bunting. Necks."They do not waddle like What we did get to see later were other ducks but move with a quick the pictures that Diane had taken step.These ducks evidently somehow showing the bird,small and a bit escaped into the wild.Dwight was fuzz but still ver eas to identif right.They surely diddt look like anything from around here.So keep your eyes open whether on the water or in your own back yard;you never know what might show up.