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Difference between revisions of "Grey Bunting" - BirdForum Opus

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'''Alternative names: Japanese Grey Bunting'''
 
'''Alternative names: Japanese Grey Bunting'''
 
[[Image:Grey-bunting-male-720-72-2146.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo by {{user|john_wright|john_wright}}<br />Kawahara-ooike, Nagasaki, [[Japan]], April 2011]]
 
[[Image:Grey-bunting-male-720-72-2146.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo by {{user|john_wright|john_wright}}<br />Kawahara-ooike, Nagasaki, [[Japan]], April 2011]]
 
;[[:Category:Emberiza|Emberiza]] variabilis
 
;[[:Category:Emberiza|Emberiza]] variabilis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 +
====Male====
 +
* Plain slate-grey plumage
 +
* Black-streaked mantle and black wing-feathers with broad slate-grey fringes to wing-coverts and tertials
 +
* No white in tail
 +
* Immature males have upperparts like females and face and underparts dull brownish-grey with paler supercilium, throat and submoustachial stripe
 +
[[Image:Grey-bunting-male-juvenile-720-72-2170.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile male<br />Photo by {{user|john_wright|john_wright }}<br />Kawahara-ooike, Nagasaki, [[Japan]], April 2011]]
 +
====Female====
 +
* Dark grey-brown plumage
 +
* Grey-brown ear-coverts bordered by blackish moustachial stripe, pale grey malar stripe and dark brown lateral throat-stripe
 +
* Whitish chin and throat
 +
* Dark dusky-brown underparts with heavy darker streaking
 +
* Dark brown upperparts with black streaking
 +
* Plain dark rufous-brown rump (well visible in flight)
 +
* Brown tail
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
Found in East [[Asia]] on southern Kamchatka, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands ([[Russia]]) to northern [[Japan]].
+
Found in East [[Asia]] on southern Kamchatka, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands ([[Russia]]) to northern [[Japan]].<br />
 
+
Winters south to the Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Has been recorded in [[Korea]], [[China]] and [[Taiwan]].<br />
Winters south to the Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Has been recorded in [[Korea]], [[China]] and [[Taiwan]].
+
Uncommon in most of its range.
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
[[Image:Grey-bunting-male-juvenile-720-72-2170.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile male<br />Photo by {{user|john_wright|john_wright }}<br />Kawahara-ooike, Nagasaki, [[Japan]], April 2011]]
+
Regarded as [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] by Clements. However other authorities accept two subspecies, the nominate and ''musica'' from south Kamchatka.
Regarded as monotypic by Clements. However other authorities accept two subspecies, the nominate and ''musica'' from south Kamchatka.
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Mixed deciduous and coniferous forest, usually with thickets or dwarf bamboo.
+
Mixed deciduous and coniferous forest, usually with thickets or dwarf bamboo.<br />
 +
Occurs in mountains and hills at 1000m to 1800m.<br />
 +
In winter found in dense vegetation, often near streams in evergreen-forest but also in parks or suburban gardens (eg in Tokyo) and in open cultivation.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
Skulking.
+
A secretive and sulking species.
 +
Diet not well known, feeds probably on small insects, seeds and small fruits and berries. Forages usually on the ground.<br />
 +
Mostly seen singly or in pairs, during migration sometimes in small groups of five or six birds.<br />
 +
Breeding season starts in June and peaks in July. The nest ist made of small twigs, dead leaves and grasses. It's placed low in dwarf bamboo or in a bush, usually below 1m. Lays 3 to 5 eggs.
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thOct12}}#{{Ref-HBWVol16}}
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Emberiza+variabilis}}
 
{{GSearch|Emberiza+variabilis}}
  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Emberiza]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Emberiza]]

Revision as of 14:12, 25 May 2013

Alternative names: Japanese Grey Bunting

Male
Photo by john_wright
Kawahara-ooike, Nagasaki, Japan, April 2011
Emberiza variabilis

Identification

Male

  • Plain slate-grey plumage
  • Black-streaked mantle and black wing-feathers with broad slate-grey fringes to wing-coverts and tertials
  • No white in tail
  • Immature males have upperparts like females and face and underparts dull brownish-grey with paler supercilium, throat and submoustachial stripe
Juvenile male
Photo by john_wright
Kawahara-ooike, Nagasaki, Japan, April 2011

Female

  • Dark grey-brown plumage
  • Grey-brown ear-coverts bordered by blackish moustachial stripe, pale grey malar stripe and dark brown lateral throat-stripe
  • Whitish chin and throat
  • Dark dusky-brown underparts with heavy darker streaking
  • Dark brown upperparts with black streaking
  • Plain dark rufous-brown rump (well visible in flight)
  • Brown tail

Distribution

Found in East Asia on southern Kamchatka, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands (Russia) to northern Japan.
Winters south to the Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Has been recorded in Korea, China and Taiwan.
Uncommon in most of its range.

Taxonomy

Regarded as monotypic by Clements. However other authorities accept two subspecies, the nominate and musica from south Kamchatka.

Habitat

Mixed deciduous and coniferous forest, usually with thickets or dwarf bamboo.
Occurs in mountains and hills at 1000m to 1800m.
In winter found in dense vegetation, often near streams in evergreen-forest but also in parks or suburban gardens (eg in Tokyo) and in open cultivation.

Behaviour

A secretive and sulking species. Diet not well known, feeds probably on small insects, seeds and small fruits and berries. Forages usually on the ground.
Mostly seen singly or in pairs, during migration sometimes in small groups of five or six birds.
Breeding season starts in June and peaks in July. The nest ist made of small twigs, dead leaves and grasses. It's placed low in dwarf bamboo or in a bush, usually below 1m. Lays 3 to 5 eggs.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2011. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553781

Recommended Citation

External Links

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