Vogelcommando -- the pink on the breat is wrong for Painted ['Nonpareil'] Bunting. Googling Rosita's confirmed my suspicion. This is the 'unknown' Passerina bunting that was never imported. We used to see lots of Indigo, Nonpareil, Lazuli, & a few Versicolor. Most of them were males [trappers apparently ate the females] & few were ever bred in Europe. There may still be a few around.
Just been reminded about the Orange-breasted/Rainbow/Leclancher's Bunting -- I knew there were five species that used to come over. The almost mythical Rosita's was the sixth. Look at the white round the eyes -- another difference from Nonpareil
Thanks for the comments! I have a picture from a female bird, if anyone likes to see it. There where 2 males and 2 females in the exhibit along with a pair of asian blue quails. @vogelcommando, I had the same first thougth, although I have seen the painted bunting before, this didn't look like that. As FBBird comments, the breast colours do not match neither did the eyering color
Rupicola -- photo of the female would be of interest, although probably no hewlp in identification, as most of these female Passerina buntings look similar.
Sorry but my first thought was Painted bunting but now I take a closer look and indeed several items doen´t fit with the Painted. A check of the book " guide des passereaux granivores" also learns me it could be Passerina rositae !
No problem, as said, that was my first thought too, unfortanetly there was no sign. I didn't know there where more then one species of passerina. But as FBBird mentioned, there are quite a few, and just a few left in zoos. It is an interesting species, and another to add to the list of birds I have seen over the years. @FBBird, I will post a picture of the female in the avifauna section in the gallery.
