Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), male
Rock Bunting, Male

Rock Bunting

Emberiza cia

The Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) is a small, robust passerine bird, a member of the bunting family Emberizidae. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism. The male, particularly resplendent during the breeding season, boasts chestnut upperparts and deep buff underparts, with a striking pale grey head adorned with black striping. The female, in contrast, presents a more subdued appearance with paler underparts, a grey-brown back, and a head with less pronounced contrast. Juveniles resemble the female but feature a streaked head.

Identification Tips

To identify the Rock Bunting, look for the male's distinctive head pattern with its grey and black markings. The female and juvenile can be recognized by their paler tones and less contrasting head stripes. The species is also characterized by its 16 cm length and, in some races, the presence of white wing bars.

Habitat

The Rock Bunting is typically found in open, dry, and rocky mountainous terrains, where it breeds and thrives.

Distribution

This bird has a wide range, breeding in northwest Africa, southern Europe, central Asia, and the Himalayas. It also breeds locally in central Europe. The Rock Bunting is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south within the breeding range of the resident southern populations. Occasionally, it is a rare visitor to western Europe.

Behaviour

The Rock Bunting exhibits a preference for ground or low bush nesting sites, where it lays three to five greyish eggs in a well-lined nest. Its behavior is typical of buntings, with a diet that shifts from insects during the feeding of young to seeds at other times.

Song & Calls

The Rock Bunting's vocalizations include a sharp "tseee" call and a song that can be described as a twittering "churrrr-chirrriiii-itt," a sound that resonates through its rocky habitat.

Breeding

During the breeding season, the Rock Bunting lays a clutch of three to five eggs. The nest is carefully lined and placed either on the ground or occasionally in a low bush, providing a secure foundation for the next generation.

Similar Species

While there are four races of Rock Buntings that differ mainly in plumage shades, the subspecies found in Europe, Africa, and western Turkey is unique in displaying white wing bars, which can be a distinguishing feature when comparing with similar species.

Diet and Feeding

The Rock Bunting's diet consists of seeds for the majority of the year, shifting to insects when it is feeding its young, reflecting the bird's adaptability to its environment and the nutritional needs of its offspring.

Conservation status

The Rock Bunting is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that, for now, this species does not face any imminent threat of extinction.

Rock Bunting Sounds



Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Rock Buntings on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Buntings

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Robred 2
Fun way to add to your birdwatching experience
I enjoy watching birds in my backyard, but this app helped me really pay attention while on vacation this summer. It was fun to add new birds to my bird watching app.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.