Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandra
The Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) is a common old world bunting found in 72 countries, weighing about 49 g. The corn bunting is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.
About the Corn Bunting
The corn bunting is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. This is a large bunting with heavily streaked buff-brown plumage. The sexes are similar but the male is slightly larger than the female. Its range extends from Western Europe and North Africa across to northwestern China.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This is an unusual bunting because the plumages of the sexes are similar in appearance, though the male is approximately 20% larger than the female. This large bulky bunting is 16–19 cm long, with a conspicuously dark eye and yellowish mandibles. Males lack any showy colours, especially on the head, which is otherwise typical of genus Emberiza. Both sexes look something like larks, being streaked grey-brown above with whitish underparts. The underparts are streaked over the flanks and breast, and the streaking forms gorget around the throat.
What the Corn Bunting sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Finland, San Marino.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, October, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Corn Bunting?
- This is an unusual bunting because the plumages of the sexes are similar in appearance, though the male is approximately 20% larger than the female. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Corn Bunting?
- The Corn Bunting is a small sized bird weighing about 49 g.
- Where can you see a Corn Bunting?
- The Corn Bunting occurs in 72 countries, including Spain, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Türkiye.
- What does a Corn Bunting sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Corn Bunting on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Corn Bunting?
- The Corn Bunting is most easily confused with the Cirl Bunting, the Rock Bunting and the Ortolan Bunting.
- Is the Corn Bunting endangered?
- The Corn Bunting is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Corn Bunting for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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