Emberiza

The buntings are a group of Old World passerine birds forming the genus Emberiza, the only genus in the family Emberizidae. The family contains 44 species. They are seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills that inhabit open and half-open habitats, including deserts, stony drylands, shrubland, savanna, and open taiga forests.

Taxonomy

The family Emberizidae was formerly much larger and included the species now placed in the Passerellidae (New World sparrows) and Calcariidae (longspurs and snow buntings). Molecular phylogenetic studies found that the large family consisted of distinct clades that were better treated as separate families.

The genus Emberiza is now the only genus placed in the family Emberizidae. The genus was introduced by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. The type species was subsequently designated as the yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella). The genus name Emberiza is from Old German Embritz, a bunting. The origin of the English "bunting" is unknown. Species in the New World genus Passerina include the word "bunting" in their common names, but are now classed in the family Cardinalidae.

A 2008 genetic study found that three emberizid species that were placed in their own monotypic genera clustered within the Emberiza. These were the crested bunting (Melophus lathami), the slaty bunting (Latouchiornis siemsseni), and the corn bunting (Miliaria calandra). All three species are now included in the genus Emberiza.

A large DNA-based study of the passerines published in 2019 found that the buntings are most closely related to the longspurs and snow buntings in the family Calcariidae.

Ornithologists Edward Dickinson and Leslie Christidis in the fourth edition of the Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World chose to split up Emberiza and recognise the genera Fringillaria, Melophus, Granativora, Emberiza, and Schoeniclus. Their example has not been followed by the online version of the Handbook of the Birds of the World nor by Frank Gill and David Donsker in the list of world birds that they maintain on behalf of the International Ornithologists' Union. The British Ornithologists' Union has argued that splitting the genus provides little benefit and destabilizes the nomenclature.

A comprehensive 2021 genetic study that incorporated DNA samples of all but two Emberiza species found that the genus' ancestor came from the New World, from where it colonised eastern Asia via the Bering Strait during the late Miocene. From there, the genus then radiated into four clades. This radiation was linked to a global cooling event that led to a reduction of forest cover and the expansion of open habitats, including grasslands, to which the Emberiza buntings adapted. Clade I is primarily African and includes mostly resident species such as the golden-breasted bunting, the Cape bunting, and the house bunting. The next clade to diverge — Clade II — is strongly migratory, and adapted to open taiga forests. This clade includes the yellow-breasted and the little bunting, but also the common reed bunting and Pallas's reed bunting, which breed near standing water. Clade III is the smallest, comprising three species, and is found in arid regions of South Asia; it includes the crested bunting, the red-headed bunting and the black-headed bunting. Clade IV comprises sedentary, partially migratory and strongly migratory species, most of which are adapted to drylands and shrublands. Examples include the yellowhammer, the corn bunting, the meadow bunting, and the ortolan bunting.

The cladogram below is based on a study published in 2021. The phylogenetic relationships of two African species, the brown-rumped bunting (Emberiza affinis) and Vincent's bunting (Emberiza vincenti), were not determined.

Emberizidae	CladeI Cabanis's bunting – Emberiza cabanisi Golden-breasted bunting – Emberiza flaviventris Somali bunting – Emberiza poliopleura Cape bunting – Emberiza capensis Lark-like bunting – Emberiza impetuani Socotra bunting – Emberiza socotrana Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata CladeII Yellow-throated bunting – Emberiza elegans Slaty bunting – Emberiza siemsseni Ochre-rumped bunting – Emberiza yessoensis Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata CladeIII Crested bunting – Emberiza lathami Red-headed bunting – Emberiza bruniceps Black-headed bunting – Emberiza melanocephala CladeIV Corn bunting – Emberiza calandra Chestnut-eared bunting – Emberiza fucata Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
CladeI	Cabanis's bunting – Emberiza cabanisi Golden-breasted bunting – Emberiza flaviventris Somali bunting – Emberiza poliopleura Cape bunting – Emberiza capensis Lark-like bunting – Emberiza impetuani Socotra bunting – Emberiza socotrana Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata
	Cabanis's bunting – Emberiza cabanisi Golden-breasted bunting – Emberiza flaviventris Somali bunting – Emberiza poliopleura
	Cabanis's bunting – Emberiza cabanisi

	Golden-breasted bunting – Emberiza flaviventris Somali bunting – Emberiza poliopleura
	Golden-breasted bunting – Emberiza flaviventris

	Somali bunting – Emberiza poliopleura



	Cape bunting – Emberiza capensis Lark-like bunting – Emberiza impetuani Socotra bunting – Emberiza socotrana Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata
	Cape bunting – Emberiza capensis

	Lark-like bunting – Emberiza impetuani Socotra bunting – Emberiza socotrana Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata
	Lark-like bunting – Emberiza impetuani

	Socotra bunting – Emberiza socotrana Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata
	Socotra bunting – Emberiza socotrana

	Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata
	Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi
	Gosling's bunting – Emberiza goslingi

	Cinnamon-breasted bunting – Emberiza tahapisi


	House bunting – Emberiza sahari Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata
	House bunting – Emberiza sahari

	Striolated bunting – Emberiza striolata







	CladeII Yellow-throated bunting – Emberiza elegans Slaty bunting – Emberiza siemsseni Ochre-rumped bunting – Emberiza yessoensis Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata CladeIII Crested bunting – Emberiza lathami Red-headed bunting – Emberiza bruniceps Black-headed bunting – Emberiza melanocephala CladeIV Corn bunting – Emberiza calandra Chestnut-eared bunting – Emberiza fucata Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
CladeII	Yellow-throated bunting – Emberiza elegans Slaty bunting – Emberiza siemsseni Ochre-rumped bunting – Emberiza yessoensis Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata
	Yellow-throated bunting – Emberiza elegans Slaty bunting – Emberiza siemsseni
	Yellow-throated bunting – Emberiza elegans

	Slaty bunting – Emberiza siemsseni


	Ochre-rumped bunting – Emberiza yessoensis Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata
	Ochre-rumped bunting – Emberiza yessoensis Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus
	Ochre-rumped bunting – Emberiza yessoensis

	Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus
	Pallas's reed bunting – Emberiza pallasi

	Common reed bunting – Emberiza schoeniclus



	Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata
	Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis
	Yellow-browed bunting – Emberiza chrysophrys

	Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis
	Tristram's bunting – Emberiza tristrami

	Grey bunting – Emberiza variabilis



	Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata
	Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila
	Yellow-breasted bunting – Emberiza aureola

	Chestnut bunting – Emberiza rutila


	Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata
	Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica
	Little bunting – Emberiza pusilla

	Rustic bunting – Emberiza rustica


	Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata
	Black-faced bunting – Emberiza spodocephala

	Yellow bunting – Emberiza sulphurata







	CladeIII Crested bunting – Emberiza lathami Red-headed bunting – Emberiza bruniceps Black-headed bunting – Emberiza melanocephala CladeIV Corn bunting – Emberiza calandra Chestnut-eared bunting – Emberiza fucata Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
CladeIII	Crested bunting – Emberiza lathami Red-headed bunting – Emberiza bruniceps Black-headed bunting – Emberiza melanocephala
	Crested bunting – Emberiza lathami

	Red-headed bunting – Emberiza bruniceps Black-headed bunting – Emberiza melanocephala
	Red-headed bunting – Emberiza bruniceps

	Black-headed bunting – Emberiza melanocephala



CladeIV	Corn bunting – Emberiza calandra Chestnut-eared bunting – Emberiza fucata Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Corn bunting – Emberiza calandra

	Chestnut-eared bunting – Emberiza fucata Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Chestnut-eared bunting – Emberiza fucata

	Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Tibetan bunting – Emberiza koslowi

	Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii
	Jankowski's bunting – Emberiza jankowskii

	Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii
	Meadow bunting – Emberiza cioides

	Rock bunting – Emberiza cia Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii
	Rock bunting – Emberiza cia

	Godlewski's bunting – Emberiza godlewskii




	Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana
	Grey-necked bunting – Emberiza buchanani

	Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana
	Cinereous bunting – Emberiza cineracea

	Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana
	Cretzschmar's bunting – Emberiza caesia

	Ortolan bunting – Emberiza hortulana




	Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Cirl bunting – Emberiza cirlus

	White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	White-capped bunting – Emberiza stewarti

	Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos
	Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella

	Pine bunting – Emberiza leucocephalos

List of species

The genus contains 44 species.

Common name	Scientific name	Distribution
Crested bunting	Emberiza lathami	Southeast Asia.
Slaty bunting	Emberiza siemsseni	China.
Corn bunting	Emberiza calandra	Western Europe and North Africa across to northwestern China.
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella	southeast England and most of Europe east to the northwestern corner of Russia and western Ukraine.
Pine bunting	Emberiza leucocephalos	Asia
Rock bunting	Emberiza cia	northwest Africa, southern Europe east to central Asia, and the Himalayas
Godlewski's bunting	Emberiza godlewskii	China, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Russia.
Meadow bunting	Emberiza cioides	southern Siberia, northern and eastern China, eastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Korea and Japan.
White-capped bunting	Emberiza stewarti	Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Jankowski's bunting	Emberiza jankowskii	Russian Far East, Manchuria and far northeastern Korea
Grey-necked bunting	Emberiza buchanani	Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains in Central Asia
Cinereous bunting	Emberiza cineracea	southern Turkey and southern Iran
Ortolan bunting	Emberiza hortulana	European countries and western Asia
Cretzschmar's bunting	Emberiza caesia	Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and the Levant.
Cirl bunting	Emberiza cirlus	southern Europe, on the Mediterranean islands and in north Africa
Striolated bunting	Emberiza striolata	Chad, east through south-west Asia to north-western India, Africa
House bunting	Emberiza sahari	northwestern Africa from Morocco south to Mali and east to Chad.
Lark-like bunting	Emberiza impetuani	Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Cinnamon-breasted bunting	Emberiza tahapisi	mainland sub-Saharan Africa
Gosling's bunting	Emberiza goslingi	Mauritania and Senegal to south-western Sudan and north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Socotra bunting	Emberiza socotrana	Yemen
Cape bunting	Emberiza capensis	southern Africa from south-western Angola, eastern Zambia, Zimbabwe and southern Tanzania to the Cape.
Tristram's bunting	Emberiza tristrami	eastern Manchuria and the Russian Far East and winters in central and southern China.
Chestnut-eared bunting	Emberiza fucata	the Himalayas locally across China to south-eastern Siberia, Korea and northern Japan
Little bunting	Emberiza pusilla	north-east of Europe and northern Eurosiberia to the Russian Far East and northern India, southern China and the northern parts of south-east Asia.
Yellow-browed bunting	Emberiza chrysophrys	eastern Siberia, China
Rustic bunting	Emberiza rustica	south-east Asia, Japan, Korea, and eastern China.
Yellow-throated bunting	Emberiza elegans	China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Russia, and Taiwan.
Yellow-breasted bunting	Emberiza aureola	Finland to Bering Sea migrating to Indochina
Somali bunting	Emberiza poliopleura	Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda
Golden-breasted bunting	Emberiza flaviventris	Africa south of the Sahara
Brown-rumped bunting	Emberiza affinis	Senegal to Sudan and Uganda
Cabanis's bunting	Emberiza cabanisi	sub-Saharan Africa
Chestnut bunting	Emberiza rutila	Siberia, northern Mongolia and north-eastern China.
Tibetan bunting	Emberiza koslowi	Tibet
Black-headed bunting	Emberiza melanocephala	Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos, South Korea and Malaysia
Red-headed bunting	Emberiza bruniceps	Asia-Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia; Russian Federation (European Russia, Central Asian Russia), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
Yellow bunting	Emberiza sulphurata	Japan
Black-faced bunting	Emberiza spodocephala	southern Siberia across to northern China.
Masked bunting	Emberiza personata	Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Japan.
Grey bunting	Emberiza variabilis	Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Kuril Islands and northern Japan
Pallas's reed bunting	Emberiza pallasi	northeast European Russia, north Kamchatka
Ochre-rumped bunting	Emberiza yessoensis	eastern Mongolia, northeast China and Ussuriland
Common reed bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus	Europe

Extinct species have been described:

† Long-legged bunting (Emberiza alcoveri) (Late Quaternary)
† Emberiza shaamarica (Late Pliocene of Central Asia)
† Emberiza polgardiensis (Upper Miocene of Hungary)
† Emberiza media (Pliocene of Hungary)
† Emberiza parva (Pliocene of Hungary)
†Emberiza gaspariskii (Pliocene of Hungary)
†Emberiza bartoki (Middle Miocene of Hungary) (Nomen dubium)

Emberiza pannonica from the upper Miocene of Hungary is also referred to this genus, but was later found to be a member of Muscicapidae.

External links

on the Internet Bird Collection
"Bunting". The American Cyclopædia. 1879.

Emberiza

Taxonomy

List of species

Further reading

External links