Emberiza cabanisi
Cabanis's Bunting (Emberiza cabanisi) is a striking passerine bird, often recognized by its bold head pattern and relatively stocky build, measuring approximately 15-16 cm in length and weighing between 16-22 grams. Males feature a distinctive blackish crown and ear coverts, brilliantly contrasted by a bright white supercilium and malar stripe, with a broad black moustachial stripe. Their underparts are a vibrant yellow, fading to white on the belly, while the upperparts are streaked rufous-b...
This bunting prefers open woodlands, savannas, forest edges, clearings, and cultivated areas, typically found at elevations ranging from lowlands up to around 2,000 meters.
The diet consists primarily of small seeds, particularly grass seeds, supplemented significantly with insects and other invertebrates during the breeding season.
Cabanis's Bunting is primarily diurnal, often observed singly or in pairs, though small flocks may form outside the breeding season. It forages mostly on the ground, meticulously gleaning seeds and insects from leaf litter and low vegetation, occasionally perching to scan its surroundings. During...
Cabanis's Bunting is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting a broad band from west to east and extending southwards. Its breeding range spans from Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone eastward through West and Central Africa to South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. South...
Least Concern
- Cabanis's Bunting was named after Jean Cabanis (1816-1906), a distinguished German ornithologist who curated the ornithological collection of the Berlin Museum. - Three subspecies are currently recognized: *E. c. cabanisi*, *E. c. orientalis*, and *E. c. cognominata*, each occupying distinct pa...