Chestnut Bunting
Emberiza rutila
Small, shy bunting, usually seen through a screen of thick shrubby vegetation in low, dense thickets. Brightly colored adult male distinctive, with brilliant chestnut upperparts and a daisy-yellow belly. Female and young males somewhat resemble a female Yellow-breasted Bunting but are much smaller and darker overall, with a less distinct facial pattern and browner underparts. Favors open forests with dense ground covering for breeding, but can be found in a wider range of habitats with suitable cover in the non-breeding season.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Emberiza rutila
- Authority
- Pallas, 1776
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Genus
- Emberiza
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : temperate c, ec Palearctic open forest: sc Russia and nc Mongolia to s Sea of Okhotsk and Ussuriland (se Russia) and ne Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang (ne China)
- Non-breeding range
- subtropical e Asian openings and fields: Nagaland to Mizoram (ne India), n, c se Asia and s China
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Banded Prinia
Prinia bairdii
Distinctive and unusual prinia with heavily barred underparts. The mountain-dwelling birds in the eastern part of the range show a dark throat, while in the rest of the range, the throat is barred like the rest of the underparts. Note the white wingbars and spotting under the tail. Skulks in the undergrowth of forest, mostly around clearings and edges. Usually in pairs. The song is a series of mettalic “plink” notes.
Olivaceous Flycatcher
Fraseria olivascens
A canopy flycatcher, often found high above the ground in areas with continuous forest, away from the forest edge. True to its name, this flycatcher is mostly olive-brown with a pale throat, a pale vent, and dark grayish legs. Distinguished from other African flycatchers by its preference for the canopy, its voice, and its overall indistinct coloration and patterning. Call is a high-pitched rising “tseee!” and the song is a complex jumble of clear whistles and buzzy notes.
Gray-crowned Tetraka
Xanthomixis cinereiceps
Attractive, medium-sized tetraka. Green back, gray head, white throat, and yellowish underparts. Madagascar endemic that is found in eastern rainforest at middle and high elevations. Inhabits the mid-story, most often feeding by creeping along mossy branches like a woodpecker. Frequently joins flocks with tetrakas and other species. Call is a series of high, silvery, sputtered “sit” notes. Separated from Spectacled Tetraka by its smaller size, brighter underparts, gray head, and tree-creeping habits.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.