A New Bird

by Ann Hurley, Mary Keir, Steve M
(Oshawa, Brampton, Barrie)

Male Indigo Bunting in winter plumage

Ann Hurley from Oshawa wrote to say ... I didn't get a picture but I'm pretty sure it was an Indigo Bunting. I have never seen nor heard of another blue bird here other than the Blue Jays. I just wondered if they were common here?

Mary Keir from Brampton said ... we had an Indigo Bunting at our feeder in Brampton, Ontario. We also have numerous Baltimore Orioles and Rose Breasted Grosbeaks.


Steve M from Barrie, Ontario, wrote ... I saw a bird the size and shape of a sparrow, the head was brown, the back of the head and neck was dark blue, the belly was dark blue, the wings were brown. The dark blue was not bright blue, but a dirty blue. This bird doesn't seem to show up on the Ontario bird list.

Hell there - Steve, is this similar to the bird you saw? It is the male Indigo Bunting losing his summer plumage.

Ann, I wouldn't say that they're common here, I live in St Thomas and I have seen them three times in 24 years. They may not be rare but they are shy and you're lucky if you see them.

Thank you all for writing to tell us of your sightings

I will also post this on our facebook page so that our facebook followers can also read this.