Subject: Painted Bunting
Date: Mar 3 18:52:04 2002
From: SGMlod at aol.com - SGMlod at aol.com


Greetings All

The CA records committee has been somewhat schizophrenic on this species.
Yes, they are common cage birds in Mexico, but there is a well established
pattern of fall (mostly Aug-Sep) northward movement into AZ and CA
(reminiscent of TR Kingbird, though those are almost entirely coastal). There
are also presumed spring overshoots into CA, mostly in se. CA in May/June
(the Malheur birds fit this pattern nicely). There was a recent winter record
of an adult male in sw Oregon (about a year or two back) in addition to the
OR records Gene cited.

The green breast feathers do not likely indicate age. According to Pyle, when
ad male Painted Buntings lose feathers outside of normal moult, the replace
them with bright green until the next moult.

Cheers
SteveM