Varied Bunting in September

September is the peak of fall migration. Huge numbers of birds move south on cold fronts, mixed flocks form, and summer residents slip away almost unnoticed. Young birds making their first migration appear in places the species rarely visits.

For the Varied Bunting specifically, September is a fall month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 3 states and provinces where varied buntings occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.

Southern states

absent

Mid-latitudes

mostly absent (migration only)

Northern states & Canada

absent

In September, varied buntings are absent in the South, mostly absent (migration only) across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.

Varied buntings are not nesting in September. The season runs May–August at mid-latitudes, and up to a month later in the North.

Outside the nesting season, varied buntings put their energy into feeding and flocking rather than territory and young — which is exactly what makes them easier to watch and attract this month.

• Grass seeds, caterpillars and beetles

A Mexican border specialty of thorny canyon scrub; a birdbath is the best way to see one.

Migrants passing through may stop at feeders for a day and never return — September rewards watching closely. Natural seed and fruit crops are abundant, so feeder traffic can be uneven.

Full Varied Bunting diet guide → · Best feeder for varied buntings →

Varied buntings are settled and predictable in September, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.

The state guides below show exactly where in your region varied buntings are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.

ArizonaNew MexicoTexas