Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
Photo by Jack Kotz
The smallest member of our Big Five, the beautiful painted
bunting, is one of the more elusive birds here on Kiawah.
Known for the brilliant coloring of the male, resident bird
experts have become quite proficient at attracting them to
bird feeders.
College of Charleston graduate student Sarah Latshaw was
awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research
Fellowship to study these small creatures, whose species has
declined by as much as 60% over a period of 30 years. Because
of their rapid decline, they have been designated a high
priority species by the SC Department of Natural Resources.
Sarah’s research demonstrated the importance of native
vegetation, particularly in the understory, and identified the
marsh edges and maritime forest as their preferred venue.
Perhaps even more importantly, she determined that the
bunting’s habitat covers an area small enough that a single
homeowner can have a positive impact on the bird’s territory.
Wouldn’t you love to awaken to the sight of these beautiful
birds enjoying your property as much as you do?
MAMMALS
H
WA CIES
KIA
SPE
E
OF
LIF
RE
ILD
TU MON W ND
NA
A
M
L
E
S
O
H
HI
EC
T
AG
UID
H
WA
KIA
OF
OT
ET
MAMM
ALS
WHITE-TAILED DEE
R
DESCRIPTION: Reddi
sh coat
during summer; darker
, gray coat
during winter. Males
have antlers.
Fawns have white spots
for first few
months. Striking white
underside
of tail which is raised
when
alarmed.
SIZE: Males (100-1
75 pounds)
Females (90-120 pound
s)
WHERE TO SEE: Comm
on. All
parts of island, most
visible during
dawn/dusk and at night.
FOOD HABITS: Herbiv
orous.
Consumes a variety
of native and
ornamental plants,
as well as grasses, acorns
and muscadine
grapes.
LIFE HISTORY: Breeds
in
are born in spring (April fall (September-November). Fawns
-June). Does will have
year and keep them
1-2 fawns each
hidden by themselves
for the first few weeks
of life. Unattended
fawns are not aband
oned and should never
be approached or distur
bed. Males grow a
new set of antlers
each spring and summ
er. In early fall, the
velvet is rubbed off
these antlers as they
of
harden. Antlers are
shed in late winter.
NOTES: Kiawah Island
is home to approximate
There is noor
ly 500 deer.
e g on Kiawa
huntin
m
to
h
and
e
deer
numbers are natura
m lled by bobcats er,
hocontro
lly
g de and other predators.
Island is
includin
Kiawah IslandammUse
als,cautio
n whenrr
els. g on the island and
drivin
ah m e
d squi
be alert for deer
eciaiews of itte
crossin
g roadw
sp
ays. Deer travel in
its, an
of K Comm
bb
n
group
ra
than T20
s,
,
so
w
l
if
near the roadway, slow
you see a deer
o
ta ccoons
down, because there
e atm
s,enra
are likely to be
others nearby.
by th bc
iron
ed bo
Env
lish
Pub
10
Pamphlet courtesy of the
Town of Kiawah Island
One cannot count a visit to Kiawah complete until all five
of these precious resources have been seen. Personally, I am
still seeking my first painted bunting sighting, so wat