Photo: Steve Riall / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandra
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 48.5 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 calandra
Where it lives
Temperate to subtropical western Palearctic grassland: British Isles and western Europe north to southern Scandinavia, Latvia and southwestern Russia, south to Canary Is. (central Macaronesia, northwest of western Africa), Morocco to Tunisia (northwestern, north-central Africa), through Mediterranean to Turkey, Israel and western Jordan, northeastern Arabian Pen., east through southern Kazakhstan to northwestern Xinjiang (northwestern China), south through southwestern, south-central, northern Iran and northern Afghanistan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 48.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Corn Bunting is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Corn Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) is a member of the Emberizidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate to subtropical w Palearctic grassland: British Isles and w Europe n to s Scandinavia, Latvia and sw Russia, s to Canary Is. (c Macaronesia, nw of w Africa), Morocco to Tunisia (nw, nc Africa), through Mediterranean to Turkey, Israel and w Jordan, ne Arabian Pen., e through s Kazakhstan to nw Xinjiang (nw China), s through sw, sc, n Iran and n Afghanistan.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 48.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.7 cm and a tail of around 7.1 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 7.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Corn Bunting?
The Corn Bunting is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 48.5 g.
Where does the Corn Bunting live?
The Corn Bunting is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate to subtropical w Palearctic grassland: British Isles and w Europe n to s Scandinavia, Latvia and sw Russia, s to Canary Is. (c Macaronesia, nw of w Africa), Morocco to Tunisia (nw, nc Africa), through Mediterranean to Turkey, Israel and w Jordan, ne Arabian Pen., e through s Kazakhstan to nw Xinjiang (nw China), s through sw, sc, n Iran and n Afghanistan, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Corn Bunting belong to?
The Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Corn Bunting eat?
The Corn Bunting is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Corn Bunting migrate?
The Corn Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Corn 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 Corn Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Corn Bunting — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Corn Bunting's range?
The Corn Bunting has a mapped global range of about 7.5 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
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
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.