|
|
|
Black-headed Bunting
(Emberiza melanocephala)
 German name(s): "Kappenammer"
Size: 15.5-17.5 cm
|
|
|
 |
Physical description |
|
 Click here for a physical description
Black-headed Buntings are medium-sized buntings.
Their plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are slightly different. Both
male
and female
Black-headed Buntings have different plumages during the
breeding
season and in eclipse.
Breeding males
have a bright yellow throat, neck and chest, possibly with some grey tints
further down their front and flanks. The head (frons, crown and cheeks)
is black. The mantle, shoulders, back and rump are greyish-brown, while
the upperwings, apart from a greyish-brown shoulder patch, are dark-grey
to black with off-white edges on the flight feathers.
Breeding females look like duller-coloured males, with a greyish
streaked head, rather than black, a paler-yellow front and also
a paler shade of brownish grey on the back.
Adults in eclipse have more cryptic plumage, basically without any
yellow, which is replaced by a dull olive-grey front.
Both sexes have dark irises, a strong grey, triangular bill and
pinkish-grey legs and feet.
First-winter
Black-headed Buntings resemble adults in
eclipse.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See
Black-headed Bunting at Wikipedia  .
|
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Black-headed Bunting is available
HERE
.
Black-headed Buntings are a migratory species that breeds
in south-eastern Europe, Asia Minor, between the Black
Sea and the Caspian Sea and in south-western Asia, from
the Caucasus mountain range from northern Iraq through
central Iran to the border with Afghanistan. They spend
the winters in the western half of India (except the
northernmost and southernmost areas of that part of
the subcontinent).
In Europe Black-headed Buntings are found only during the
breeding season, in an area ranging from the eastern Adriatic
coastline through the Balkans and Greece and to the North
of the Caucasus mountains, up to the southernmost parts
of European Russia.
Black-headed Buntings have a preference for open grassland,
possibly with some shrubs when nesting. Especially outside
the breeding season they flock to feed on seeds on the
ground, in areas with little cover for potential predators.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
S. Cuturilov reports spotting Black-headed Buntings near
Boljevac, Eastern Serbia, in May 2016.
Other photos shown here were taken in the Caucasus.
|
 |
Photos |
|
 |
ADULT |
|
 |
MALE |
|
Near-frontal view of a male Black-headed Bunting
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Near Boljevac, Eastern Serbia, May 2016]
Near-lateral view of a male Black-headed Bunting
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
Lateral view of a male Black-headed Bunting
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
