The Indigo Bunting is commonly found in old fields, shrubby woodland borders and forest edges along the southeastern edge of Canada. The Breeding Bird Survey indicates that the population has shown an overall increase since 1970. However, a decrease in abundance in Canada during the last 10 years and long-term decreases in the United States are potentially cause for concern, as habitat loss and degradation may threaten the stability of the population at its northern limit.
Like many of the brushland songbirds that benefitted from the logging and clearing of forests for farmland and road-building, the Indigo Bunting showed range expansions and increases in abundance during the 20th century (Payne 2006). Though still increasing in Canada, it is now declining in some parts of its range across the United States. Threats are thought to include habitat loss from natural succession, reforestation, intensification of agriculture, roadside mowing and urbanization on its breeding grounds, and being captured for food or for use as a cage-bird on its wintering grounds in Central America (Payne 2006).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.