Yellow-browed Bunting Emberiza chrysophrys Scientific name definitions

13–15 cm; 15–24 g. Medium-sized bunting, similar in size to E. rustica, but with somewhat bigger head and stouter bill. Male breeding has striking head pattern , with bright yellow eyebrow starting just in front of eye and becoming white posteriorly, black crown with narrow white median crownstripe, and blackish lores, eyestripe and ear-coverts with distinct small white spot on rear ear-coverts; mantle grey-brown with blackish streaks, central mantle and scapulars rufous, rump chestnut; tail brown-black, rufous edges on central rectrices and white on outer ones; lesser upperwing-coverts grey, median coverts blackish with white tips (forming distinct wingbar), greater coverts with pale buff tips (less prominent wingbar), strong chestnut edges on tertials and inner secondaries; submoustachial stripe and throat white, prominent sharp blackish malar stripe; underparts white, blackish streaking on breast and flanks , these also tinged pale rufous-brown; iris dark chestnut-brown; upper mandible dark grey, with pinkish along cutting edge, lower mandible pinkish-flesh, with dusky line running from tip along underside; legs pinkish-flesh. Female is broadly similar to male, but black areas on head partly concealed by brown fringes (fringes can wear away during breeding season, producing blackish pattern as on male), median crownstripe less pure white, tinged buffish, supercilium rather variable, from white to pale or deep yellow (independent of age), dark eyestripe extends down around rear ear-coverts, moustachial stripe ill-defined or lacking, malar stripe not so black and sharp as on male; chestnut stripe on centre of mantle slightly paler. Male and female non-breeding are both very similar to breeding female. Adult male and female non-breeding are rather similar, most cannot be sexed by plumage after complete moult in autumn. Juvenile is rather similar to female breeding, has lateral crownstripe dark brown, median crownstripe and supercilium pale buff or buff-white, side of neck and nape whitish with dark spots, lores buff, upper cheek and ear-coverts buff-brown, mantle tawny-buff and rump more rufous, all with distinct black streaks (more than on adult female breeding), lesser upperwing-coverts greyish-brown, streaking on breast narrow and more distinct than on adult; first-winter male similar to adult non-breeding, with rectrices more pointed, tail and wing feathers relatively more worn, some with streaked rump and uppertail-coverts, iris dark greyish-brown.

E Siberia from Irkutsk, R Nizhnyaya Tunguska and Bratsk E to R Vilyuy and Yakutsk, S to Chamar Daban range (S of L Baikal) and Stanovoy Mts; possibly also NE Mongolia (1 Gombobaatar, S. and Monks, E.M. compilers; Seidler, R.; Sumiya, D.; Tseveenmyadag N.; Bayarkhuu, S.; Baillie, J.E.M.; Boldbaatar, Sh. and Uuganbayar, Ch. eds. (2011). Mongolian Red List for Birds. Regional Red List Series Vol. 7. Birds. Zoological Society of London, National University of Mongolia and Mongolian Ornithological Society, Ulaanbaatar & London. In English and Mongolian. Close ). Winters in S & E China.

Migratory; winters S & E China, accidentally S to Hong Kong. Breeding areas mostly deserted by mid-Aug, some late individuals present until mid-Sept; migration developing through Sept, when main passage noted NE China and Korea, reaching winter quarters in Nov–Dec. Main spring passage through NE China during Apr–May. Vagrants recorded W to Ukraine, Poland and W Europe (Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden) (2 Polakowski, M. and Niemc, A. (2015). Yellow-browed Bunting at Dąbkowice, Poland, in October 266114. Dutch Birding. 37: 180–184. Close ).

Diet during breeding little known, presumably composed of an array of different flying insects and spiders (Araneae); these make up nestling diet. Outside breeding season diet dominated by seeds of grasses and herbs. Forages mostly on ground. During migration and in winter usually in mixed flocks with other buntings.

Song  , from perch in tree in dense forest, short, often starts with characteristic clear drawn-out note, usually followed by 2 high-pitched notes, and ends more rapidly, “chueee swii-swii chew chew chew” or “chueee tsriii tzriii wee-wee-wee tzitzi-tueei”. Call  a sharp “zick!”, similar to that of E. pusilla, or “ziit”, similar to that of E. spodocephala.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Uncommon to rare in most of range; locally common in area of middle Yenisey. Reports of this species during breeding period in areas E of known range, such as in Magadan Oblast, may represent extreme limit of range or vagrancy. In middle Yenisey region found at higher densities in well-drained mixed forests in area of Mirnoye, up to 18 birds/km² (mean density in area 2 birds/km²); in another area, in upper R Kamenka, densities of 10–30 birds/km². No evidence of decline in population.