Grey-necked Bunting

Overview

The grey-necked bunting (Emberiza buchanani) is a species of bird in the family Emberizidae, sometimes referred to as the grey-hooded bunting. It breeds across Central Asia and winters in parts of Southern Asia and Africa, typically found in small flocks.

Identification

• Greyish plumage above with a long pink bill.
• Males feature a distinctive white eye-ring contrasting with the grey hood, while the chin and throat are whitish pink bordered by grey malar stripes.
• Underparts are pinkish brown, and the outer tail feathers are whitish.
• Females appear duller but may show a more noticeable moustachial stripe.

Habitat

This bunting inhabits mainly dry and open areas, such as stony, scrubby hillsides with low thorn scrub, and temperate grasslands mostly below 7000 ft. Its range extends from the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains for breeding, with wintering grounds in Africa, West Asia, and South Asia as far south as Sri Lanka. It is an extremely rare vagrant north of its breeding range, with records in Finland and the Netherlands.

Did you know?

The species was described by Edward Blyth based on a drawing by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, after whom it is named, and it has been suggested that the actual description date was 1845 due to publication delays, though a supposed type specimen was never located.