BirdForum is the net's largest birding community, dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE! You are most welcome to register for an account, which allows you to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
'''Female''' and '''Juvenile''': duller with streaked crown, breast and flanks
==Distribution==
==Distribution==
-
[[Iberia]] except on Mediterranean coast, southern [[France]], [[Switzerland]], [[Germany]] and east into [[Austria]]. [[Italy]], [[Slovenia]], [[Greece]], [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]], [[Hungary]].
+
'''Breeds''' throughout [[Iberia]] except on Mediterranean coast, southern [[France]] in the Massif Central and Alps of [[Switzerland]], north in [[Germany]] along the Rhine and east into [[Austria]]. In [[Italy]] breeds in the Apennines and in northern [[Sicily]] and also breeds from [[Slovenia]] to [[Greece]] and east to [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]] and in the Carpathians in [[Slovakia]] and north & central [[Hungary]]. Breeds across much of [[Turkey]] to the Caucasus and southern [[Crimea]], in the [[Middle East]] south to northern [[Israel]]. In North [[Africa]] breeds from central [[Morocco]] to north [[Tunisia]].
+
+
Northern birds may be partially migratory but most are resident or altitudinal migrants. Rare winter visitor to [[Iraq]].
+
+
'''Vagrants''' recorded north to [[Britain]], [[Sweden]], [[Poland]] and [[Germany]], also [[Malta]], [[Cyprus]], [[Libya]] and [[Kuwait]].
==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
-
Subspecies Nominate cia is found over most of range with slightly larger and paler par in Crimea and Caucasus, more heavily streaked with buff rump. Various other races have been described but differences are very slight.
+
====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
+
*''E. c. cia'':
+
:*Iberian Peninsula and southern [[Europe]] to western [[Asia Minor]] and Northern [[Africa]]
+
*''E. c. hordei'':
+
:*[[Greece]], central [[Asia Minor]] and Levant
+
*''E. c. prageri'': larger, paler and more heavily streaked with a buff rump than nominate
+
:*[[Crimea]], [[Caucasus]], north-eastern [[Turkey]] and north-western [[Iran]]
+
*''E. c. par'':
+
:*North and central [[Iran]] to [[Pakistan]], north-western [[India]] and southern Altai Mountains
==Habitat==
==Habitat==
-
Dry rocky hillsides with sparse vegetation, sometimes vineyards and olive groves, juniper scrub and subalpine meadows. Often at fairly high altitude and reaches 4000m in parts of range, usually under 1500m in Europe.
+
Dry rocky hillsides with sparse vegetation, sometimes vineyards and olive groves, juniper scrub and subalpine meadows, crags and ruins. Often at fairly high altitude and reaches 4000m in parts of range, usually under 1500m in Europe.
==Behaviour==
==Behaviour==
-
==Bird Song==
+
Flicks tail open when on the ground feeding.
+
====Breeding====
+
They nest on, or near, the ground.
+
====Vocalisation====
+
'''Call''': includes weak ''zeet'' and thin ''seee''.
<flashmp3>Emberiza cia (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
<flashmp3>Emberiza cia (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
''[[Media:Emberiza cia (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
''[[Media:Emberiza cia (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
+
==References==
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
15.5cm
Grey bill
Longish thin tail Male: Reddish-brown upperparts, white-outer tail feathers, stripey grey-and-black head pattern. Female and Juvenile: duller with streaked crown, breast and flanks
Dry rocky hillsides with sparse vegetation, sometimes vineyards and olive groves, juniper scrub and subalpine meadows, crags and ruins. Often at fairly high altitude and reaches 4000m in parts of range, usually under 1500m in Europe.
Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Welcome to BirdForum.
