Rufous-backed Bunting
Emberiza jankowskii
A rare and declining medium-sized bunting that is found only in shrubby, sandy areas between steppelands and deciduous woodlands. Both sexes have a simple yet elegant head pattern that somewhat resembles that of Meadow Bunting, but Rufous-backed Bunting is considerably paler with a gray instead of dark brown-black cheek patch. Male is warm rufous-brown above and has a unique dark patch on the belly. Females are similarly colored, but are overall a colder brown and have a spotty necklace across the breast instead of a belly patch.
Identification
A rare and declining medium-sized bunting that is found only in shrubby, sandy areas between steppelands and deciduous woodlands. Both sexes have a simple yet elegant head pattern that somewhat resembles that of Meadow Bunting, but Rufous-backed Bunting is considerably paler with a gray instead of dark brown-black cheek patch. Male is warm rufous-brown above and has a unique dark patch on the belly. Females are similarly colored, but are overall a colder brown and have a spotty necklace across the breast instead of a belly patch.
Taxonomy
Genus: Emberiza; Family: Emberizidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Emberiza jankowskii
- Authority
- Taczanowski, 1888
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Genus
- Emberiza
Range and habitat
Breeding range: PAL : temperate ne Palearctic (rare) shrubby grassland: far e Mongolia, e Inner Mongolia and w Jilin (ne China), formerly also Heilongjiang and far se Russia. Non-breeding range: to Beijing and Liaoning, at least formerly far n Korean Pen..
- Breeding range
- PAL : temperate ne Palearctic (rare) shrubby grassland: far e Mongolia, e Inner Mongolia and w Jilin (ne China), formerly also Heilongjiang and far se Russia
- Non-breeding range
- to Beijing and Liaoning, at least formerly far n Korean Pen.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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