Raleigh, North Carolina is home to a diverse array of bird species. While most backyard birds in the area tend to be more common species like cardinals, blue jays, and chickadees, there are a few rare and colorful birds that can occasionally be spotted in and around Raleigh.
Painted Bunting
One of the most striking and rare birds found in Raleigh is the painted bunting. The male painted bunting is unmistakable with its vibrant, tropical-looking plumage in hues of red, green, yellow, and blue. It almost looks like it flew out of the pages of a coloring book! Painted buntings are regular breeding birds along the southeastern coastal plains, but are rare nesters in the Piedmont region where Raleigh is located. However, they can sometimes be seen during spring and fall migration.
The best places to spot painted buntings in the Raleigh area are sheltered, scrubby areas with thickets and hedgerows. Brightwood Gardens and Durant Nature Preserve are two locations where birders have periodically reported sightings of these spectacular songbirds during migration.
Scarlet Tanager
Another bird with a shockingly red plumage, male scarlet tanagers are a stunning shade of crimson contrasted with jet black wings and tail. Females are a drabber yellow-olive color. Scarlet tanagers breed in mature deciduous forests across much of the eastern United States. They are uncommon breeding birds in the forests around Raleigh.
The best place to see scarlet tanagers near Raleigh is Umstead State Park, where they nest in oak and hickory forests each summer. They are also sometimes spotted at Raulston Arboretum during spring and fall migrations. Because of their canopy-dwelling habits, catching a glimpse of a scarlet tanager often requires good hearing to detect their song first.
Painted Bunting
Description | Key Facts |
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Small seed-eating songbird with thick conical bill. Males have brilliant red underparts, green back, blue head, and yellow-green shoulder patch. Females are greenish-yellow overall. |
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Scarlet Tanager
Description | Key Facts |
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Medium-sized songbird with pointed wings and slender bill. Males are bright red with black wings and tail. Females are yellow-olive overall with olive-yellow wings and tail. |
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Where and When to See Them
The best times to look for painted buntings and scarlet tanagers in Raleigh are during spring migration in April and May and fall migration in September and October. These periods offer the highest chance of sighting them as they pass through the region.
Productive locations to spot them include:
- Brightwood Gardens – Small nature preserve with mixed habitats attractive to migrating songbirds
- Durant Nature Preserve – Varied semi-open habitats like old fields and young forests
- Umstead State Park – Mature hardwood forests where scarlet tanagers breed
- Raulston Arboretum – Meadows and gardens with trees can draw in migrants
Any habitat with scrubby vegetation, forest edges, or stands of trees may harbor these colorful songbirds during migration. Birders should listen and watch carefully for quick glimpses of red or blue dashing through the foliage.
Tips for Spotting Them
Here are some tips to increase your chances of observing painted buntings and scarlet tanagers in Raleigh:
- Learn their distinctive songs and calls to detect them by ear
- Scan treetops and shrubs thoroughly with binoculars
- Look for splashes of red, blue, green, and yellow at forest edges
- Be patient and persistent – sightings may be fleeting
- Use birding hotspot alerts to find recent reports
- Increase chances by visiting during peak migration windows
Appreciating Rare Songbird Visitors
Part of the thrill of birding is the element of surprise – you never know when a rare or unusual bird might make an appearance. Painted buntings and scarlet tanagers bring a tropical flair to Raleigh neighborhoods when they visit during migration.
Observing them first-hand provides a reminder of the incredible journeys made by songbirds. We are fortunate to reside in a zone where northern and southern bird species intersect twice a year as they migrate. With persistence and the right habitat, you may be lucky enough to spot one of these rare beauties passing through!