Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Crested Bunting
Emberiza lathami
Crested Bunting (Emberiza lathami) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Crested Bunting (Emberiza lathami) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 21.9 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 lathami
Where it lives
Montane grass and scrub of southern Asia to eastern China: northeastern Pakistan and far western, central India to central, east-central China and south through northern southeastern Asia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.9 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Crested Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Crested Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Crested Bunting (Emberiza lathami) belongs to the Emberizidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR montane grass and scrub of s Asia to e China: ne Pakistan and far w, c India to c, ec China and s through n se Asia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.9 g, with a wing length of about 8 cm and a tail of around 6.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Crested Bunting?
The Crested Bunting is a small bird that weighs around 21.9 g.
Where does the Crested Bunting live?
The Crested Bunting is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR montane grass and scrub of s Asia to e China: ne Pakistan and far w, c India to c, ec China and s through n se Asia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Crested Bunting belong to?
The Crested Bunting (Emberiza lathami) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Crested Bunting eat?
The Crested Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Crested Bunting migrate?
The Crested Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Crested 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 Crested Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Crested 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 Crested Bunting's range?
The Crested Bunting has a mapped global range of about 3.8 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.
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