Black-headed Bunting

This species is defined as a rarity. 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: Very rare vagrant.

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Past accepted records in our database:

Past records, bar chart (see more bar charts):

Photos:

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
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
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 19 December 2021