Chestnut Bunting
A species of Old World Buntings Scientific name : Emberiza rutila Genus : Old World Buntings
Chestnut Bunting, A species of Old World Buntings
Botanical name: Emberiza rutila
Genus: Old World Buntings
Content
Description General Info
Description
The chestnut bunting (Emberiza rutila) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae found in the East Palearctic. It is a fairly small bunting, 14 to 15 cm in length. The tail is fairly short with little or no white on the outer feathers. Breeding males have bright chestnut-brown upperparts and head. The breast and belly are yellow with streaks on the sides. Non-breeding males are similar but duller with the chestnut partly hidden by pale fringes to the feathers. The female is mostly dull brown with dark streaks above while the underparts are mainly pale yellow. The rump is dull chestnut and the throat is buff. The variable, high-pitched song is given from a perch low in a tree. The call is a short zick, similar to the call of the little bunting. It breeds in Siberia, northern Mongolia and north-eastern China. It is a long-distance migrant, wintering in southern China, south-east Asia and north-east India. There are a number of records from Europe but some of these are considered to be escapes from captivity rather than genuine vagrants. During the breeding season it inhabits open forest with plenty of ground cover and shrubs. Wintering and migrating birds occur in farmland, scrub and woodland edges.
Size
15 cm
Nest Placement
Ground
Feeding Habits
Chestnut Bunting predominantly feed on invertebrates like caterpillars and insects during breeding, switching to seeds in migration and winter. It forages on the ground but retreats to trees if alarmed. Generally, chestnut Bunting feed in small flocks outside the breeding season.
Habitat
Chestnut Bunting primarily inhabits open taiga forests with underbrush, thriving in both coniferous and deciduous woodlands, which may include pine, larch, alder, and birch trees. This species is also found in mixed forests, often on hill ridges or mountain slopes. During winter, chestnut Bunting prefers open forests, woodland edges, clearings, and cultivated areas. Throughout migration, chestnut Bunting can be spotted in agricultural fields, such as grain and rice stubbles, as well as in tall herbaceous vegetation.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
New world sparrows Genus
Old World Buntings Species
Chestnut Bunting