Emberiza calandra
The Corn Bunting, *Emberiza calandra*, is a medium-sized passerine bird, often described as an 'LBB' (Little Brown Bird) due to its somewhat undistinguished plumage, yet it possesses a highly distinctive and memorable song. Measuring approximately 16-19 cm in length with a wingspan of 26-32 cm and weighing 38-60 grams, it exhibits a streaky brown coloration above, with a paler, whitish underside heavily marked with dark brown streaks, particularly on the breast and flanks. A large head relati...
Found primarily in open, treeless agricultural landscapes, including cereal fields, grasslands, fallow land, and pastures. Prefers lowlands but can occur up to 1000m.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on seeds from cereals, grasses, and weeds, supplemented with invertebrates (insects, spiders) during the breeding season.
Corn Buntings are diurnal, spending much of their day foraging on the ground or singing from prominent perches like fences, bushes, or utility wires. Males are highly territorial and polyterritorial, defending multiple distinct song territories to attract several mates, often two or three females...
The Corn Bunting has a widespread Palearctic distribution, extending from Western Europe and North Africa eastward across Central Asia. Its breeding range covers most of Europe (though declining significantly in the west, including the British Isles, Netherlands, and Germany), across the Mediterr...
Least Concern
- The Corn Bunting's distinctive song, a metallic 'scher-scher-scher-chick-chick-chick-chi-chi-chi-zzzzzzz', is often described as resembling a bunch of jangling keys. - It is one of the few polygynous passerines in Europe, with males often mating with 2-3 females simultaneously. - Male Corn Bunt...