Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Emberiza melanocephala
Family: Old World Buntings · Status: Vagrant · Size: 15.5–17.5 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Breeds from southeastern Europe east through Turkey and the Caucasus to Iran and southwestern Pakistan; winters in western India.
Male in breeding plumage has a distinctive black head, chestnut upperparts, and bright yellow underparts; non-breeding male is similar but head feathers have sandy fringes. Challenging to separate females and juveniles from Red-headed Bunting, another species which could possibly occur as a vagrant to Singapore. Females and first-winter birds are very similar to that species, and often inseparable in the field; on average the crown is more streaked, rump less yellow, bill larger, and primary projection longer.
Open fields and scrub.
Forages on the ground or low in vegetation; feeds on invertebrates and seeds.