However, the indigo bunting's vivid blue color does not come from a pigment in the feathers. The feathers themselves are not blue at all, but black! Light diffracted by the feathers make them seem blue.

In feathers, ``there is no pigment for blue, as in bluebirds, blue jays and indigo buntings,'' notes Dr. Rebecca Rupp in her book, Everything You Never Learned about Birds. ``Instead, their feather barbules contain tiny particles that reflect light in such a way that the feather looks blue. Blue comes from the way the feather is built, not from colored chemicals.''

More information can be obtained at the websites below — or feel free to do a search for "indigo bunting" on the web.

http://www.si.edu/organiza/museums/zoo/ zooview/smbc/inbu.htm