Skip to main content
Least Concern

Slaty Bunting

Emberiza siemsseni

Slaty Bunting (Emberiza siemsseni) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.

The Slaty Bunting (Emberiza siemsseni) is a member of the Emberizidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 20 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Emberizidae Buntings
  4. Genus Emberiza
  5. Species siemsseni

Where it lives

Montane central China bamboo: southeastern Gansu, central, southeastern Sichuan and southern Shaanxi, and probably also Hubei and Anhui

Quick facts

Weight
20 g
Family
Emberizidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Slaty Bunting is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Slaty Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Slaty Bunting (Emberiza siemsseni) belongs to the Emberizidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL montane c China bamboo: se Gansu, c, se Sichuan and s Shaanxi, and probably also Hubei and Anhui.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 5.5 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 112,000 km².

Songs & calls

Slaty Bunting — Song

Recorded by Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤 Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Slaty Bunting?

The Slaty Bunting is a small bird that weighs around 20 g.

Where does the Slaty Bunting live?

The Slaty Bunting is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL montane c China bamboo: se Gansu, c, se Sichuan and s Shaanxi, and probably also Hubei and Anhui, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Slaty Bunting belong to?

The Slaty Bunting (Emberiza siemsseni) belongs to the Emberizidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Slaty Bunting eat?

The Slaty Bunting is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Slaty Bunting migrate?

The Slaty Bunting is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Slaty 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 Slaty Bunting make?

1 real field recording of the Slaty 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 Slaty Bunting's range?

The Slaty Bunting has a mapped global range of about 112,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Emberizidae

More in Songbirds

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.

4 min read

Back to top