What has caused the decline in the eastern Painted Bunting population?
As with many troubled species, there are a number of likely factors that have contributed to the decline in Painted Bunting population along the east coast of the United States – but at the top of this list is habitat loss. Painted Buntings often nest in “shrub-scrub” vegetation, a type of low-lying, dense vegetation (early-successional habitat). Changes in agricultural practices and increased development along the east coast have decreased the amount of this vital shrub-scrub habitat.
