Death Shoots a Birdie (25 page)

 

VOICE: Painted buntings have a bright fast warble,
graffiti graffiti spaghetti-for-two.

 

BEHAVIORS: Males defend their territory by singing from a high perch, often hidden among the uppermost foliage of a tree. Males, who may have more than one mate, will actually fight to hold territories. These fights are sometimes bloody and even fatal.

 

CONSERVATION: The painted bunting diet consists mostly of seeds and insects, with insects predominating during the breeding season. There has been a significant decline in the numbers of painted buntings over the past thirty-five years. While the exact cause is unknown, it is most likely related to habitat. Both the eastern and western populations have been negatively impacted by an increase in land development resulting in the degradation or destruction of habitat. Cowbird parasitism may also be impacting the eastern population. Finally, because of their spectacular appearance, male painted buntings are popular as cage birds, and thousands are taken annually in Mexico and Central America for export to bird dealers in Europe.

About the Author

Christine Goff
lives in Colorado with her husband, three of her six children, three dogs, and various wildlife—her inspiration for murder.
Death Shoots a Birdie
is the fifth novel in the Birdwatcher’s Mystery series. Visit her Website at
http://www.christinegoff.com
.