Painted buntings have inspired this fundraiser, along with the local communities working to support their habitat and migration path. After retiring, Tim began feeding birds and noticed something remarkable: black oil sunflower, peanuts, and mixed wild seed did not bring painted buntings in, but millet spray did. Within about a week, around 20 painted buntings appeared. As a Florida native who had never seen a painted bunting before, Tim felt a deep connection and a growing commitment to understand what truly helps these birds. That has led to careful observation, testing different millet sources, and looking for practical ways to reduce competition from other birds while creating safer feeding opportunities for buntings. 
 
Funds from this fundraiser will help support several important next steps: buying more millet spray for testing and feeding, improving camera equipment to better observe bunting behavior, and developing a strong, weatherproof outdoor cage design that buntings can safely use while still being able to escape easily. Support will also help with outreach and travel to encourage communities to plant millet in practical areas instead of grass where appropriate, helping restore a more useful migration path. Tim also hopes to identify which millet sources buntings actually prefer and, if possible, help make effective millet more affordable for others. 
 
Please support this effort to better understand and protect painted buntings. Every donation can help test what truly works, improve safe feeding methods, and build community support for planting millet and restoring a practical migration path for these beautiful birds. Just as important, sharing this fundraiser can help more people learn about painted buntings and join in protecting them.