Photo: Alpsdake / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Meadow Bunting
Emberiza cioides
Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 21 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 cioides
Where it lives
Temperate central, eastern Palearctic open woods: eastern Kazakhstan and eastern Kyrgyzstan through southern Russia, Mongolia, northeastern China to Sakhalin and Kuril Is. (southeastern Russia); in south to northern Xinjiang, Yunnan and Zhejiang (northwestern, south-central, southeastern China), Korean Pen., and Hokkaido to Yakushima (north to southern Japan)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21 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 Meadow 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 Meadow Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) belongs to the Emberizidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate c, e Palearctic open woods: e Kazakhstan and e Kyrgyzstan through s Russia, Mongolia, ne China to Sakhalin and Kuril Is. (se Russia); in s to n Xinjiang, Yunnan and Zhejiang (nw, sc, se China), Korean Pen., and Hokkaido to Yakushima (n to s Japan).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 7.4 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 10.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Meadow Bunting?
The Meadow Bunting is a small bird that weighs around 21 g.
Where does the Meadow Bunting live?
The Meadow Bunting is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate c, e Palearctic open woods: e Kazakhstan and e Kyrgyzstan through s Russia, Mongolia, ne China to Sakhalin and Kuril Is. (se Russia); in s to n Xinjiang, Yunnan and Zhejiang (nw, sc, se China), Korean Pen., and Hokkaido to Yakushima (n to s Japan), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Meadow Bunting belong to?
The Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Meadow Bunting eat?
The Meadow Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Meadow Bunting migrate?
The Meadow Bunting is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Meadow 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 Meadow Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Meadow 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 Meadow Bunting's range?
The Meadow Bunting has a mapped global range of about 10.5 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.
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