24 Extraordinarily Beautiful Birds You Might Not Have Heard About

Male Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris): The Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris) are small, brightly colored members of the Cardinal family. They are also known as Painted Finches or Rainbow Buntings. Their common names were inspired by the brilliant plumage details of the males. Many consider the male Painted Bunting to be the most beautiful bird in North America, and they are amongst the most popular visitors of bird feeders. Photo credit: Sonya Cole