Black-headed Bunting

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)

Featured articles:

• Bird List Revision for March 2019 (Revisions)

Past accepted records in our database:

Past records, 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