Red, white....and blue

Indigo Bunting photographed on a Fourth of July.

Around the Fourth of July is the time of year I regularly see a male indigo bunting perched and singing in the trees. My backyard is prime nesting habitat for buntings - lots of brushy areas and wooded edges. I have consistently had a nesting pair for many years now but have yet to find a nest. The female builds her nest just off the ground in a shrub or dense vegetation.

Indigo Bunting on a Common Elderberry flower which is in bloom this time of year.

Male buntings are wonderful to have on territory as they sing their cheery song often and throughout the day. Their song is somewhat similar to a goldfinch. Here is an example from xeno-canto.org: