Photo: Paco Gómez from Castellón, Spain / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cirlus
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 25.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Emberizidae Buntings
- Genus Emberiza
- Species cirlus
Where it lives
Southern temperate to subtropical western Palearctic scrubby woodlands: far southern England, France, southern Germany east through southern Romania; in south to Iberian Pen. and coastal Morocco to Tunisia (northwestern, north-central Africa), Mediterranean including Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, and coastal western, northern Turkey
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cirl Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Cirl Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) belongs to the Emberizidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF s temperate to subtropical w Palearctic scrubby woodlands: far s England, France, s Germany e through s Romania; in s to Iberian Pen. and coastal Morocco to Tunisia (nw, nc Africa), Mediterranean including Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, and coastal w, n Turkey.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.6 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 6.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cirl Bunting?
The Cirl Bunting is a small bird that weighs around 25.6 g.
Where does the Cirl Bunting live?
The Cirl Bunting is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF s temperate to subtropical w Palearctic scrubby woodlands: far s England, France, s Germany e through s Romania; in s to Iberian Pen. and coastal Morocco to Tunisia (nw, nc Africa), Mediterranean including Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, and coastal w, n Turkey, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cirl Bunting belong to?
The Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cirl Bunting eat?
The Cirl Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Cirl Bunting migrate?
The Cirl Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Cirl Bunting endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cirl Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Cirl Bunting — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cirl Bunting's range?
The Cirl Bunting has a mapped global range of about 2.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Emberizidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.