Photo: Gin tonic / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rustic Bunting
Emberiza rustica
Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 20.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Emberizidae Buntings
- Genus Emberiza
- Species rustica
Where it lives
Subarctic to temperate Palearctic swamp forest: Scandinavia (except far northern and southern) across Russia to southern Chukotka, Kamchatka, south to northern Altai and northern Sakhalin (eastern Russia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Emberizidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rustic 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 Rustic Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica) belongs to the Emberizidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL subarctic to temperate Palearctic swamp forest: Scandinavia (except far n and s) across Russia to s Chukotka, Kamchatka, s to n Altai and n Sakhalin (e Russia).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 6.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rustic Bunting?
The Rustic Bunting is a small bird that weighs around 20.5 g.
Where does the Rustic Bunting live?
The Rustic Bunting is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL subarctic to temperate Palearctic swamp forest: Scandinavia (except far n and s) across Russia to s Chukotka, Kamchatka, s to n Altai and n Sakhalin (e Russia), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rustic Bunting belong to?
The Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rustic Bunting eat?
The Rustic Bunting is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Rustic Bunting migrate?
The Rustic Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Rustic Bunting endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Rustic Bunting make?
1 real field recording of the Rustic 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 Rustic Bunting's range?
The Rustic Bunting has a mapped global range of about 11.1 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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