The ‘rock star’ of birds is back at Dix Park, and fans are flocking there
The rainbow-colored celebrity of songbirds has arrived for his annual Raleigh spectacle, drawing hundreds of bird-nerds and shutterbugs to its stage in Dix Park.
For at least the last week, the male painted bunting has made a daily appearance near the park’s sunflower field, showing off its dazzling red, yellow and blue plumage.
Birders are trekking from as far as 150 miles away for a glimpse of the splashy avian rock star.
“He sings his heart out,” said Nancy Arehart, nature photographer, “but as far as I know, no female has been seen in the area. I wish we could find him a date.”
Getting relaxed
The Dix Park bunting craze dates back at least five years, when the bunting’s Raleigh migration started lighting up social media pages.
“He has been known to land in bushes right next to people,” said Arehart, who said she tracks his song with a Merlin Bird ID app, “so I think he is getting used to having a big human fan club and is getting relaxed.”
Nature photographer Jessica Sebastian makes the trip from Iredell County at least twice a year, and she spotted the bunting a month ago before it dropped out of sight.
“This year he showed up early in spring and was seen for a couple weeks,” she said, “and then assumed he was in hiding while his mate was nesting, so he was probably busy feeding her and any chicks they may have. But now he’s back out in his usual spots at the park and putting on a show for all the birders. He is truly a stunning little bird to see.”
Threatened
The painted buntings that show up in Dix represent birds of the eastern population, far smaller and less wide-ranging than their western cousins. Coastal North Carolina represents the northernmost tip of their range, with Raleigh even a bit far from typical their home.
They prefer “shrubby fields,” as the NC Wildlife Federation describes it, which Dix has in abundance.
But, the federation notes, the birds not only face habitat loss from development, but are also threatened by poachers supplying the illegal pet trade. Their distinctive warble also makes them an attractive target.
Raleigh’s interest stops at the chance for a rare brush with an exotic visitor — keeping a respectful distance, happy for the brief brush with feathered fame.
This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 9:20 AM.