Passerina leclancherii

Mexico definitely has some fantastically colorful endemic songbirds and this Orange-breasted Bunting has to be the one that I was most impressed by the first time I saw it. In the field guide it didn’t look very impressive at all so when I actually saw one sitting in a bush years ago it knocked my socks off. It made such a strong impression that every time I go back to its range I make an effort to photograph it. On our most recent visit we were birding along the road at the edge of its range when one of the guests started going crazy. He said, “what’s the bird with the electric blue back, yellow belly and green head?!?!” I told him, “that’s the bird we’re looking for!” I guess he was as impressed with the illustration in the field guide as I was. After that we spent the next hour and a half watching it as it moved through the vegetation and taking photos whenever we could. I couldn’t think of a more pleasing way to spend time.

www.texastargetbirds.com

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