Emberiza cineracea
The Cinereous Bunting (*Emberiza cineracea*) is a striking yet subtly colored passerine, a member of the diverse bunting family Emberizidae. Measuring 16-17 cm (6.3-6.7 in) in length with a wingspan of 25-27 cm and weighing 22-29 grams, it is a medium-sized bunting. Males are instantly recognizable by their pale grey head, a bright yellow throat, and a distinct yellow malar stripe, contrasting with a streaked brown back, unstreaked grey rump, and yellowish-white underparts. Females are genera...
Prefers arid, stony, and often treeless hillsides, open rocky slopes, and maquis shrubland, typically found at elevations from sea level up to 2000 meters.
Primarily feeds on seeds, especially from grasses and various weeds, supplementing its diet with insects and other invertebrates during the crucial breeding season. Forages by gleaning from the ground.
Diurnal in activity, the Cinereous Bunting primarily forages on the ground, often gleaning seeds and insects from sparse vegetation and bare earth. During the breeding season, males establish and vocally defend territories, frequently singing from exposed perches. Their courtship involves these p...
The Cinereous Bunting breeds primarily in the Eastern Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East. The western subspecies (*E. c. cineracea*) breeds in coastal regions of western and southern Turkey, as well as several Greek islands, notably Lesbos, Chios, Samos, and Rhodes. The eastern subspecies...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, *cineracea*, is derived from Latin, meaning "ash-colored," a fitting description for the subtle grey tones in its plumage. - The Cinereous Bunting is among the palest of all buntings, providing excellent camouflage against the arid, stony environments it inhabits. - Males s...