Emberiza flaviventris Stephens, 1815

Taxonomy and size

The golden-breasted bunting, Emberiza flaviventris Stephens, 1815, measures 15–16 cm in length.

Adult male head pattern

Adult males have a striking head pattern: a white crown, black lateral crown stripes, a white supercilium, and black-bordered white ear coverts.

Adult male underpart coloration

Their underparts are orange-yellow, shifting to yellow on the throat and whitish on the lower belly.

Adult male upperpart coloration

Upperparts are chestnut with a grey rump, and browner wings bear two conspicuous white wing bars.

Sexual dimorphism

The sexes are very similar in appearance.

Female plumage characteristics

However, females may have a buff tone to their white head markings, browner head stripes, and dark streaks on the back.

Juvenile plumage

Young birds are duller and paler than females.

E. f. princeps subspecies traits

The subspecies E. f. princeps resembles the nominate subspecies, but it is larger and paler on the underparts.

E. f. flavigaster subspecies traits

E. f. flavigaster is more distinct: it has a paler, redder back, a pale grey rump, paler yellow underparts, and whiter flanks.

General habitat

This species occurs in a variety of open woodland habitats.

Subspecies-specific habitat preferences

The subspecies flavigaster favors acacia steppe and savannah, while all other subspecies live in a wider range of lightly wooded areas, including gardens.