Buntings · Perching birds
Corn Bunting
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Emberiza calandra
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Voice
Song
Amadeo A. Pombo Eirín
Song
Philippe_Grange
Song
Philippe_Grange
How to recognize it
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Large bunting, 16–19 cm; bulky and plain-brown overall
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Heavily streaked grey-brown upperparts, whitish underparts
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Plain brown tail; dark eye and yellowish bill
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Male song a repetitive metallic jangling from bushes, fences, or wires
About the species
The Corn Bunting has a calm, plain presence, more like a sturdy open-country regular than something that tries to stand out. Males and females look much the same, so what usually stays in mind is the overall buff-brown tone and the strong streaking.
It often stays low, on the ground or on short perches. Its most memorable voice is a repeated metallic note, often compared to jangling keys.
Look for it in open meadows, steppe, and other open ground with shrubs, especially near water. It feeds mainly on seeds, and chicks are raised on insects, spiders, and sometimes small snails; in much of its range it makes local movements, and returns to breed in spring.
Where to find
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On city fringes with weedy lots and rough grassland — usually feeding on the ground in short runs, picking seeds.
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By ditches, pond edges, and damp low spots — stays close to water and may hop onto a low bush before dropping into the grass.
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In grassy strips between fields, allotments, and new developments — the male sings from a wire, post, or low bush top.
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On open patches with scattered shrubs — especially in autumn, when small groups move through the sward together.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Emberiza calandra Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Corn bunting Encyclopedia article