Are Painted Buntings an “endangered species”?
No, Painted Buntings are not officially listed as endangered or threatened. However, several organizations list the Painted Bunting as a species in need of conservational efforts. The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) lists the Painted Bunting as Near Threatened; they are a Species of Highest Conservation Concern (in North and South Carolina) and a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (in Florida) according to those state’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies; Partners in Flight lists the Painted Bunting as a highly ranked Species at Risk (4.29/5.00) and a Watch List Species for species of Continental Importance for the United States and Canada due to restricted distribution or low population size; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Painted Bunting as one of its Focal Species (USFWS Focal Species Fact Sheet 2005).
