Which bunting ? Painted or Indigo

[Peter]

Photos taken today, Aug 17, 2023, Skidaway Island, Chatham County, GA.

We have lots of Painted buntings here on the island.  But also not uncommon to have Indigo's buntings in the county.  I have not seen any on 

the island except passing through in fall and spring.

Thanks

[AlexHenry]

Painted Bunting - it’s bright green, not brown

[Caley Thomas 2.0]

7 hours ago, AlexHenry said:

Painted Bunting - it’s bright green, not brown

Again here, it’s a drab greenish yellowish brown in the photo not bright green.  No need to overstate the difference in coloration when the difference is still clear without doing so IMO. This bird is not the same color as Kermit the Frog, nor a traffic light, nor a Granny Smith apple, but green is certainly involved to some degree. Thanks for coming to my second Ted talk on here within a week (I need to cut back on those). 

[AlexHenry]

2 minutes ago, Caley Thomas 2.0 said:

Again here, it’s a drab greenish yellowish brown in the photo not bright green.  No need to overstate the difference in coloration when the difference is still clear without doing so IMO. This bird is not the same color as Kermit the Frog, nor a traffic light, nor a Granny Smith apple, but green is certainly involved to some degree. Thanks for coming to my second Ted talk on here within a week (I need to cut back on those). 

This same bird in direct sunlight would look pretty bright. The bird is green, not brown.

[IKLland]

I agree, the bird is green not brown. But I wouldn’t say it’s bright green, unless observed in the sunlight. 

[lonestranger]

I can see hints of a green tone when I look closely at this bird, but I do not see a green bird here. There are many names that could be used to describe the bird's colour, all of them could easily begin with drab and end with ish though. Personally, I don't think that 'bright' or 'green' are very accurate descriptors here, but that's just how these old eyes see it. 

[AlexHenry]

2 hours ago, lonestranger said:

There are many names that could be used to describe the bird's colour, all of them could easily begin with drab and end with ish though. Personally, I don't think that 'bright' or 'green' are very accurate descriptors here

Semantics schmantics. Color is subjective and personally I absolutely see a green bird; perhaps bright was a bit of a stretch, but keep in mind how lighting can impact the appearance of a bird.

Regardless, my point is that, with these supposedly drab Painted Buntings, color alone is sufficiently distinctive to readily distinguish them from Indigo Buntings, House Finches, etc.

[Charlie Spencer]

I feel strongly both ways.

[DLecy]

3 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said:

I feel strongly both ways.

I agree. It’s not bright green, and it’s not brown. It is, however, a Painted Bunting.