Cinnamon-breasted BuntingEmberiza tahapisiA bunting with cinnamon underparts, black-and-brown mottled upperparts, and a black-and-orange bill. The male’s head is boldly striped black-and-white, while the female’s head is less contrasting, with gray and buff stripes. Pairs prefer rocky outcrops, quarries, and gullies in arid and moist savanna and semi-desert, favoring open ground. The species is often detected by its grating song. The similar Gosling’s Bunting differs from Cinnamon-breasted Bunting by having a gray (not black) throat; birds in northern Ethiopia/Eritrea may be part of a hybrid swarm. House Bunting has a streaked (not solid) throat and breast.Emberizidae bird family
Order Passeriformes · 3 selected species
Browse verified BirdLens profiles selected for complete taxonomy, substantial descriptive coverage, and visual evidence. Open a species to compare its identification notes, distribution, behavior, sounds, and maps.
Cinnamon-breasted BuntingEmberiza tahapisiA bunting with cinnamon underparts, black-and-brown mottled upperparts, and a black-and-orange bill. The male’s head is boldly striped black-and-white, while the female’s head is less contrasting, with gray and buff stripes. Pairs prefer rocky outcrops, quarries, and gullies in arid and moist savanna and semi-desert, favoring open ground. The species is often detected by its grating song. The similar Gosling’s Bunting differs from Cinnamon-breasted Bunting by having a gray (not black) throat; birds in northern Ethiopia/Eritrea may be part of a hybrid swarm. House Bunting has a streaked (not solid) throat and breast.
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaMale distinctive, with bright yellow head, yellowish underparts. Female is drab and streaky, usually with yellowish wash to face, and often found with bright males. Note bright rusty rump. White outer tail feathers flash in flight. A species of heathland, forest clearings, and farmland with hedges. Male sings from a prominent perch, giving a dry and uninspired “dzidzidzidzidzi.” Forms flocks in winter, feeding mainly on ground in search of seeds. A native of Eurasia, introduced to New Zealand and a few adjacent islands.
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinellaMale distinctive, with bright yellow head, yellowish underparts. Female is drab and streaky, usually with yellowish wash to face, and often found with bright males. Note bright rusty rump. White outer tail feathers flash in flight. A species of heathland, forest clearings, and farmland with hedges. Male sings from a prominent perch, giving a dry and uninspired “dzidzidzidzidzi.” Forms flocks in winter, feeding mainly on ground in search of seeds. A native of Eurasia, introduced to New Zealand and a few adjacent islands.