Crested Bunting
Emberiza lathami
Spiky upright crest distinguishes this large bunting from similar species. Male is glossy black with bright chestnut wings. Female is streaky dirt-brown with slightly duller wings. A hill specialist, often found on rocky, bushy hillsides and terraced fields. Generally in pairs or small flocks. Short song begins with a few buzzy notes and ends with mellow whistling. Call is hard “chik.”
Identification
The crested bunting (Emberiza lathami) is a species of bird in the family Emberizidae. It is sparrow sized with males having rufous wings and tail on a black body and females being less contrastingly coloured in dull brown. Both males and females have the distinctive crest. The species was formerly placed in an monotypic genus Melophus on account of its crest, unique among the buntings. The species has a wide but scattered distribution in Asia. They are found in mostly open and dry habitats over a range of altitudes. Populations in the higher elevations of the Himalayas show seasonal altitudinal movements. They are more gregarious in winter.
Taxonomy
Genus: Emberiza; Family: Emberizidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Emberiza lathami
- Authority
- Gray, JE, 1831
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Genus
- Emberiza
Range and habitat
It is found from the Himalayas eastwards to highland areas of Southeast Asia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
- Breeding range
- OR : montane grass and scrub of s Asia to e China: ne Pakistan and far w, c India to c, ec China and s through n se Asia
- Non-breeding range
- to lower elevations grass, cultivation with short-range southward movement
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
Migration pattern: Vertical migration.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Sclater's Tyrannulet
Phyllomyias sclateri
Small, long-tailed flycatcher of mid-elevation montane forest. Tends to perch fairly horizontally, foraging around the mid-story and canopy. Pale below, drab olive above, with yellow feather edges on the wing and tail and a gray head. Notice the white wingbars and eyebrow. Paler and drabber than other similar species like Buff-banded Tyrannulet; brighter white wingbars can also be a good distinguishing feature. Sclater’s song is a series of froggy churrs, interspersed with sharp “tlit” notes.
Australian Magpie
Gymnorhina tibicen
Large black-and-white bird with long, pale bill with dark tip. Larger than butcherbirds and differently patterned. Black head, face, underparts, white nape, upperwing coverts, and rump, and either black or white back (subspecies vary in plumage). Widespread in farmland, parks, and open woodlands, where usually seen in pairs or groups strutting on the ground. Song a memorable fluty warble.
White-winged Becard
Pachyramphus polychopterus
Becards are reminiscent of flycatchers; they are medium-sized and have a rather flat head. Geographically variable: males in the north and west are gray with a black cap and back; in the Amazon primarily black overall, and both forms have bold black-and-white markings on wings. Female is nondescript with a rather plain face and pale yellowish underparts. Look for her buffy wingbars and buffy tips on the tail. Both sexes are similar to Black-and-white Becard; look for male’s black back and female's plain head (lacking rufous cap and black eyeline). Singles or pairs are found in wooded areas but not usually inside mature forest; they prefer edges and second growth. Usually found at middle levels in trees.
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