Black-headed Bunting

This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Emberiza melanocephala

Malay Name: Pipit-Belukar Besar

Chinese Name: 黑头鹀

Range: Breeding range include southeastern Europe to Iran and southwestern Pakistan and typically winters in western India.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 15.5-17.5 cm

Identification: Challenging to separate females and juveniles from Red-headed Bunting (Emberiza bruniceps), features that have been used to separate the two include the degree of crown streaking (more streaked), rump colour (less yellow), bill structure (larger), and primary projection (longer).

Habitat: Found in open habitats with dense vegetation, including open fields and scrub forests.

Behaviour/Ecology: Feeds on invertebrates and plant material, typically forages on ground or low in vegetation.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Records currently under review are also not displayed. For a full list, click here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Black-headed Bunting at Neo Tiew Harvest Place. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Black-headed Bunting at Neo Tiew Harvest Place. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Black-headed Bunting at Neo Tiew Harvest Place. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Black-headed Bunting)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Emberiza melanocephala. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22720990A89314245.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Black-headed Bunting. Retrieved on June 2, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/black-headed-bunting.