Quick identification
Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Breeding males appear deep blue in good light; females are warm brown with subtle streaking and a small conical bill.
Season and local range: Common spring and fall passage migrant.
Habitat and island setting
Gardens, thickets and small patches of woody cover used during migration.
Where to look
Check the island's compact migrant sites after an overnight movement or weather change, especially during spring. Birds may move as tides, wind, fronts, water levels and activity at the site change.
What the bird is doing
Color changes dramatically with light angle. Let the bird feed instead of chasing a brighter view through crowded cover.
Watching birds
Use binoculars or a camera zoom, stay on public paths and leave feeding, resting and nesting birds enough room to continue normal behavior. If a bird stops feeding, stands alert, calls repeatedly or moves away because of you, increase the distance. Check access information in the South Padre Island birding guide before making a special trip.