Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) | Photos, Calls and ID

LCLeast ConcernSeeds

RockyCavity nestSmall · 23 g

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), photo 1 — Photo: Edoardo Nardelli · CC BY 4.0

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), photo 2 — Photo: Edoardo Nardelli · CC BY 4.0

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), photo 3 — Photo: michael_martinez64 · CC0

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), photo 4 — Photo: Gonzalo Ganda Álvarez · CC BY 4.0

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), photo 5 — Photo: Gonzalo Ganda Álvarez · CC BY 4.0

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), photo 6 — Photo: luluchouette · CC BY 4.0

What the Rock Bunting sounds like

Sonogram of the Rock Bunting: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.

Recorded by Carlo Fracasso · Song · San Massimo, Province of Campobasso, Molise, Italy · CC0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Amadeo · Song · Os Ancares (near Vilaquinte), Lugo, Galicia, Spain · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Tanguy Loïs · Song · Monfragüe, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

This bird is 16 cm in length. The breeding male has chestnut upperparts, unmarked deep buff underparts, and a pale grey head marked with black striping. The female rock bunting is a washed-out version of the male, with paler underparts, a grey-brown back and a less contrasted head. The juvenile is similar to the female, but with a streaked head. There are four races differing mainly in the plumage shades, although the subspecies which breeds in Europe, Africa and western Turkey is the only one to show white wing bars. Voice: The call is a sharp tseee, and the song is a twittering churrrr-chirrriiii-itt.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Rock Bunting

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Rock Bunting

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 50 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Sweden, Belgium, Gibraltar.

About the Rock Bunting

The rock bunting is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Ortolan BuntingEmberiza hortulanaThe ortolan bunting is 16–17 centimetres (6+1⁄4–6+3⁄4 inches) in length and has a wing-span of 23–29 cm (9–11+1⁄2 in).

Golden-breasted BuntingEmberiza flaviventrisThe golden-breasted bunting is 15–16 cm long.

Rustic BuntingEmberiza rusticaThe rustic bunting is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.

Side by side: Corn Bunting vs Rock Bunting · Cirl Bunting vs Rock Bunting · Ortolan Bunting vs Rock Bunting · Golden-breasted Bunting vs Rock Bunting

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