The "Azulillo Siete Colores" (Passerina ciris), also known as the "Painted Bunting," is among the many striking bird species found in Costa Rica.

It should not be confused with the "Mil Colores" (Stilpnia larvata) or the "Thousand Colors" bird.

According to the Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica, published by the National Biodiversity Institute, this species is widespread throughout the country, particularly in middle-altitude mountain regions and near streams.

Azulillo Siete Colores thrives in thickets, woodland edges with riparian growth, shrubbery, and brushy areas. They are found at elevations from sea level to 4,900 feet, also inhabiting the canopy of dense forests and semi-open areas, such as clearings, second-growth forests, and well-vegetated gardens.

This exceptionally beautiful songbird is known for its vibrant coloring. Adult males are notably colorful, with a striking combination of a rich blue head, bright red underparts, and a lime green back. Females and immature males are more subdued, with plain green plumage and no streaks, distinctly different from the brown-toned plumage of other buntings.

The Azulillo breeds in shrubby fields and at the edges of forests, where males often sing from high, exposed perches. They follow different migration routes, primarily breeding in Georgia and South Carolina, then migrating south to Florida and the Central American Caribbean for the winter.

While they can be shy and secretive, Painted Buntings may become fairly approachable in areas where they are accustomed to bird feeders. Males sing in spring from exposed perches to mark their territory and engage in various visual displays, including fluttering flights, upright posture, body-fluff displays, and wing-quivering motions.

Despite their beauty, the Painted Bunting has been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species due to a decline in its population.

Another notable bird in Costa Rica is the Yellow-troated toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus), which can sometimes be found with a genetic-based melanin deficiency, resulting in what is known as the "white toucan."

Wild Costa Rica offers readers a chance to explore the fascinating species that make Costa Rica one of the world’s most biodiverse countries.