Emberiza rutila Pallas, 1776

Taxonomy and Size

Emberiza rutila Pallas, 1776 is a fairly small bunting that measures 14 to 15 cm in length. It has a fairly short tail, with little to no white visible on the outer tail feathers.

Breeding Male Plumage

Breeding males have bright chestnut-brown upperparts and head; their breast and belly are yellow, with dark streaks along the sides. Non-breeding males have a similar appearance, but their plumage is duller, and the chestnut color is partially hidden by pale fringes on individual feathers.

Female Plumage

Females are mostly dull brown with dark streaks on the upperparts, while their underparts are mainly pale yellow. They have a dull chestnut rump and a buff-colored throat.

Vocalizations

This species produces a variable, high-pitched song, which is delivered from a low perch within a tree. Its call is a short zick, which is similar to the call of the little bunting.

Breeding Range

This species breeds in Siberia, northern Mongolia, and north-eastern China.

Migration and Winter Range

It is a long-distance migrant, and spends the winter in southern China, south-east Asia, and north-east India.

European Occurrence Records

A number of records of this species exist from Europe, but some of these records are thought to correspond to individuals that escaped from captivity, rather than genuine wild vagrants.

Breeding Habitat

During the breeding season, Emberiza rutila inhabits open forest that has abundant ground cover and shrubs.

Non-breeding Habitat

Birds that are migrating or wintering can be found in farmland, scrub, and woodland edges.