European Birds

Emberizidae : Buntings

Red-headed Bunting

Emberiza bruniceps

Tamgaly Tas, Kazakhstan - May 2001

Red-headed Bunting breeds in Central Asia where it is common throughout most of its range.  It migrates south to India for the winter.

Konshengal, Kazakhstan - May 2001

Konshengal, Kazakhstan - May 2001

In fresh winter plumage its colours are more subdued. In Goa, it can often be seen perched in the same bush as the more common Black-headed Buntings. The females of the two species are virtually identical, so mixed flocks like this allow a useful comparison of the subtle differences between the two.

Goa, India - December 2004