An indigo bunting perched on a branch, Texas

Tweeting 'bon voyage'. An indigo on a branch, Texas, USA

Today's image features the indigo bunting, a tiny bird with plumage like the twilight sky. They traverse thousands of kilometres using the stars to navigate. These birds migrate between their breeding grounds in North America and their wintering grounds in Central America and northern South America.

With the colour range of their feathers, the indigo bunting showcases a striking contrast between the genders. During the summer breeding season, the male dons a brilliant blue hue, adorned with vibrant plumage to allure potential mates, while in winter, its appearance shifts to a more subdued brown. In contrast, the female maintains a brown colouration throughout the year. Nest construction and the task of incubation are exclusively undertaken by the female. As for their diet, indigo buntings predominantly consume insects in the warmer months and switch to seeds during the winter season.