From Opus

Photo by Akiko Hidaka
Male, Kanto, Japan

Emberiza spodocephala

[edit] Identification

16 cm
Breeding male

• Head dark grey
• Yellow green and black markings between bill and eye
• Upperparts brown, heavily streaked with black
• Brown rump
• Dark brown tail
• Yellow-white underparts
• Fine dark brown flank streaks
• Pink stout bill
  

Female and young birds

• Weaker head pattern
• Olive-grey cheeks
• Weak creamy-white supercilium
• Underparts creamy yellow heavily streaked with dark brown.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by anonymous guy
Location: Lamma Island, Hong Kong

Southern Siberia, northern China and northern Japan; wintering in northeast India, southern China and northern southeast Asia.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are 3 subspecies:

• E. s. spodocephala
• E. s. sordida
• E. s. personata

[edit] Habitat

Dense undergrowth along streams and rivers in the taiga zone, close to water in agricultural or other open bushy habitats.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

It builds a nest in a tree or on the ground and 4-5 eggs are laid.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes mainly seeds; the young are fed insects.

[edit] References

1. Wikipedia

[edit] External Links