Rose-bellied Bunting

Passerina rositae

Cardinals and Allies · Passeriformes · Legendary

The Rose-bellied Bunting (Passerina rositae) is a legendary cardinal found only in Mexico, weighing about 20 g. The rose-bellied bunting or Rosita's bunting is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks.

Near ThreatenedLegendaryEndemicEats seedsforestcup nest20 g

About the Rose-bellied Bunting

The rose-bellied bunting or Rosita's bunting is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is endemic to a very small area of southern Mexico.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The rose-bellied bunting is 13.5 to 14.5 cm (5.3 to 5.7 in) long and weighs 19.5 to 20.5 g (0.69 to 0.72 oz). The adult male's crown is purplish-blue, and it is electric blue on the rest of its upperparts that fades from darker to lighter towards the tail. Its chin is grayish, the throat and chest blue, and the belly and vent area salmon pink. The adult female's head and upperparts are gray-brown with a bluish tinge at the rump. Its undersides are pinkish buff, warmer on the throat becoming paler towards the lower belly. Voice: The rose-bellied bunting's song is "a sweet, slightly burry warble" . Its call is "a wet 'plik' or 'plek'" .

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, June, July, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Rose-bellied Bunting?
The rose-bellied bunting is 13.5 to 14.5 cm (5.3 to 5.7 in) long and weighs 19.5 to 20.5 g (0.69 to 0.72 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Rose-bellied Bunting?
The Rose-bellied Bunting is a small sized bird weighing about 20 g.
Where can you see a Rose-bellied Bunting?
The Rose-bellied Bunting is endemic to Mexico, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Rose-bellied Bunting?
The Rose-bellied Bunting is most easily confused with the Orange-breasted Bunting, the Varied Bunting and the Painted Bunting.
Is the Rose-bellied Bunting endangered?
The Rose-bellied Bunting is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Rose-bellied Bunting for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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