Meadow Bunting
Emberiza cioides
The Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) is a uncommon old world bunting found in 11 countries, weighing about 21 g. The meadow bunting or Siberian meadow bunting is a passerine bird of eastern Asia which belongs to the genus Emberiza in the bunting family Emberizidae.
About the Meadow Bunting
The meadow bunting or Siberian meadow bunting is a passerine bird of eastern Asia which belongs to the genus Emberiza in the bunting family Emberizidae.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The meadow bunting is 15 to 16.5 cm long. The male is mostly rufous-brown with dark streaks on the back. The boldly-patterned head is brown with white eyebrows, moustachial stripe and throat and grey sides to the neck. The outer tail-feathers are white and the legs are pinkish-brown. Females are similar but are duller and paler with a less well-defined head pattern. The song is a short, hurried phrase given from a prominent perch. The call is a series of up to four sharp notes. It breeds in southern Siberia, northern and eastern China, eastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Korea and Japan.
What the Meadow Bunting sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Taiwan, United Kingdom, Sweden.
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 Meadow Bunting?
- The meadow bunting is 15 to 16.5 cm long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Meadow Bunting?
- The Meadow Bunting is a small sized bird weighing about 21 g.
- Where can you see a Meadow Bunting?
- The Meadow Bunting occurs in 11 countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, Mongolia and Russia.
- What does a Meadow Bunting sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Meadow Bunting on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Meadow Bunting?
- The Meadow Bunting is most easily confused with the Lark-like Bunting, the Black-headed Bunting and the Yellow-throated Bunting.
- Is the Meadow Bunting endangered?
- The Meadow Bunting is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Meadow 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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