Male Indigo Bunting singing from a Johnson Grass stem at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

A Magical Encounter With A Male Indigo Bunting

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A flash of blue along the auto tour road caught my attention. It turned out to be a blue Indigo Bunting perched on a stem of Johnson Grass at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Male Indigo Bunting perched on Johnson Grass at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma
A male Indigo Bunting perched in the Johnson Grass during a drive through the refuge.

Male Indigo Bunting Along the Auto Tour Road

I was driving the auto tour road when the color caught my eye. The bird was close to the road, perched on Johnson Grass in the morning light.

A male Indigo Bunting can look almost electric when the light hits him right. This one showed that rich blue color while staying still long enough for a few careful photos.

I parked my pickup and photographed him through the open window. That let me stay inside the vehicle and avoid disturbing him.

For more photos and notes on this species, visit my page on the Indigo Bunting.

Photographing Blue Feathers From the Truck Window

The bird’s perch made the scene simple and clean. The Johnson Grass stem gave him a natural place to sit, and the open window gave me a steady shooting position.

The morning sunlight helped bring out the blue in his feathers. I stayed quiet, made a few images, and then moved on along the route.

Camera and settings used:

  • Camera: Canon EOS R5
  • Lens: Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
  • Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
  • Date and time: July 18, 2023, 06:35 A.M.
  • Aperture: f/7.1
  • Shutter speed: 1/320
  • ISO: 6400, Auto
  • Exposure compensation: 0
  • Focal length: 500 mm
Male Indigo Bunting singing from a Johnson Grass stem at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
A male Indigo Bunting sings from a Johnson Grass stem near the auto tour road.

A Second Chance With This Singing Bunting

A couple of hours later, I came back through the same area. To my surprise, the male Indigo Bunting was still near the same spot.

The light had changed by then, and the new angle gave the bird a different look. I stopped again and made another photo.

Just as I pressed the shutter, he began to sing. I also captured a short video of his song.

That second chance made the encounter even better. I always appreciate moments when a wild bird allows me to watch without changing its behavior.

This little blue songbird gave me a morning I will remember.

3 thoughts on “A Magical Encounter With A Male Indigo Bunting”

  1. The Johnson grass and the Indigo Bunting share the same colors.Who could have known about that.
    In the first photo, that color match is amazing………

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