Rare painted bunting spotted in the Acadian Peninsula

Birders in northeastern New Brunswick are enjoying a rare sighting of a painted bunting.

Alain Clavette, a birding expert, said the brightly coloured bird has been spotted in Sheila, which is in the Acadian Peninsula.

Clavette said between three and five painted buntings are seen in New Brunswick every three to five years.

He said 2014 is shaping up to be a good year as another painted bunting was photographed in the Saint Quentin area earlier this year.

Clavette said the painted bunting is a striking bird to witness.

It has all kinds of colours. It looks like something out of a kids colouring book, he said.

The bird is normally in Florida or Louisiana at this time of the year.

He said it is closely related to the indigo bunting, which is seen a bit more often in New Brunswick.

The painted bunting is in the cardinal family.