Black-headed Bunting

The Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) is a striking passerine, larger than a Reed Bunting at 15 cm in length, with a robust build and a long tail. The male, in his breeding finery, is a vision with bright yellow underparts, a rich chestnut back, and a distinctive black hood. The female, though less vivid, is a paler echo of the male with subdued underparts, a grey-brown back, and a greyish head. Juveniles share a resemblance to the female but can be identified by their yellow vent.

Identification Tips

In the field, the adult male Black-headed Bunting is unmistakable with his black head and yellow belly. Females and juveniles may be confused with the closely related Red-headed Bunting, but the Black-headed tends to have darker cheeks compared to the throat. First-year males exhibit a grey crown with chestnut and grey patches on the back, while first-year females are more challenging to distinguish, though they have more streaking on the crown and a yellow vent.

Habitat

The Black-headed Bunting favors open, scrubby areas, including agricultural lands. It is a bird of the grasslands, where it can be seen foraging in flocks.

Distribution

Breeding from south-eastern Europe to central Asia, this bunting migrates to winter in Asia, with India being a primary destination. Some may venture further into south-east Asia, and vagrants have been recorded as far as Japan and Malaysia.

Behaviour

This species is gregarious outside the breeding season, forming large flocks. Males migrate in pure flocks and precede females to the wintering grounds. They breed in summer, constructing nests in low bushes or on the ground, and exhibit a double moult, once after breeding and again in the winter quarters.

Song & Calls

The Black-headed Bunting's call in winter is a simple 'tweet' or a soft 'zrit'. Its song is a loud series of strophes, starting with harsh notes that accelerate into a jangling mix, interspersed with clear slurred notes, and ending abruptly.

Breeding

The nest is a cup of dry grass lined with hair, placed in a low bush or on the ground. The clutch typically contains four to six eggs, which hatch after about 13 days. Fledglings leave the nest approximately 10 days later.

Similar Species

The Red-headed Bunting is the most similar species, with which the Black-headed Bunting can be confused, especially in the case of females and juveniles. However, the two can be differentiated by the Black-headed Bunting's darker cheeks and more streaked crown.

Diet and Feeding

The Black-headed Bunting's diet consists of seeds, though insects are also taken when feeding young.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-headed Bunting as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without significant threats at present. However, certain ecological traps, such as the collapse of preferred nesting plants, have been noted to cause localized mortality.