Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Bunting
Emberiza pusilla
Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 14.6 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 pusilla
Where it lives
Low Arctic to northern temperate Palearctic in shrubby tundra to taiga: far northern Scandinavia through Russia to Chukotka; in south to far north-central Mongolia (probably) and disjunctly in northeastern China
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Little Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) is a species of bird in the Emberizidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL low Arctic to n temperate Palearctic in shrubby tundra to taiga: far n Scandinavia through Russia to Chukotka; in s to far nc Mongolia (probably) and disjunctly in ne China.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.6 g, with a wing length of about 7 cm and a tail of around 5.6 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 10.3 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Bunting?
The Little Bunting is a very small bird that weighs around 14.6 g.
Where does the Little Bunting live?
The Little Bunting is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL low Arctic to n temperate Palearctic in shrubby tundra to taiga: far n Scandinavia through Russia to Chukotka; in s to far nc Mongolia (probably) and disjunctly in ne China, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Little Bunting belong to?
The Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Little Bunting eat?
The Little Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Little Bunting migrate?
The Little Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Little 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 Little Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Little Bunting — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Bunting's range?
The Little Bunting has a mapped global range of about 10.3 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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