Beefy, big-headed, large-billed bunting. Male is deep cobalt blue with rufous wingbars. Females are warm brown with rufous or buffy wingbars. Always look for enormous bill to separate from other buntings; also note unstreaked underparts and slightly longer tail. Swishes tail like other buntings. Fairly common in overgrown fields with hedgerows and bushes. Breeds mostly in the southern half of the U.S. and northern Mexico; winters throughout Central America. Often gathers in flocks in the winter.