Varied Bunting
Passerina versicolor
VABU
Order: Passeriformes | Family: Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)

Bird Description
Uncommon in s. TX in arid areas with dense, tall vegetation, often where rocky. Size and shape as INBU, though sometimes appears slimmer, standing more erect. The culmen is more curved than in INBU. Ad ♂: incredible colors can look black at distance. Ad ♀: similar to INBU but blander with unstreaked pale underparts and more uniform upperparts with narrow indistinct wing bars. Buffier in winter. Bill pale. 1st-s ♂: as ♀ with some darker feathers. Call similar, song shorter deeper phrases.
