House Bunting Emberiza sahari Scientific name definitions

13–14 cm; 12–18 g. A rather small, slender bunting, smaller than E. cia and with rather plain face, rufous upperwing-coverts and secondaries lacking blackish feather centres; outer tail edged rufous (not white). Male has head, neck, throat and upper breast grey, finely streaked blackish, slightly paler supercilium , cheek stripe and submoustachial stripe all contrasting little with darker side of crown, eyestripe, moustache and malar; whitish spot on rear ear-coverts; upperparts rich cinnamon-rufous, diffuse grey-brown mottling on mantle; flight-feathers dark brown with cinnamon margins; lower breast and belly rich cinnamon; iris dark reddish-brown; bill blackish above, yellow or pinkish below; legs pale pinkish-brown. Differs from E. striolata in much plainer plumage and less strikingly patterned head. Female is duller, with dull brownish head, streaked darker on crown; supercilium buffy. Juvenile is slightly duller than female, has bill uniformly coloured.

NW Africa from Morocco and Mauritania patchily E to NW Chad.

Rocky areas, usually near water. Closely associated with human dwellings in much of its range, but occurs also around natural rock outcrops and wadis. At up to 2300 m in Atlas Mts in Morocco.

Diet mainly seeds, also occasional flowers, berries, insects and spiders (Araneae). Frequently scavenges food around human dwellings and markets; also associated with livestock, gleaning among their feed. Forages mainly on ground .

Male song , throughout year but most intense prior to breeding, a series of simple notes, similar to that of E. striolata but tends to be more varied, with 2–3 repeated elements, and often slightly lower-pitched. Call “dzwii”.

Late Jan to late Oct, mainly late Feb to late Jul, in Morocco; frequently multiple broods, up to four per season. Monogamous; usually retains same mate throughout a breeding season, but considerable turnover of mates between years. Territorial; male advertises territory by singing from exposed perches. Nest built by female, male may assist with collecting of material, a small cup of twigs, roots and grass stems, lined with finer material, including plant fibres, hair and wool, placed 1–3 m up in hole in old wall or cliff face; rarely on ground; often uses same nest for subsequent broods. Clutch 2–4 eggs (rarely 1–5), whitish, tinged pale green or blue, with dark brown or purple markings; no information on incubation period; chicks fed by both parents, nestling period 17–19 days; young remain on territory and fed by parents for up to 2–3 weeks after fledging. Average breeding success in Morocco 1·3–1·7 fledglings per nest (58–66% of eggs hatch, and 50–57% of hatchlings fledge); main cause of failure human disturbance. Probably starts breeding at 1 year of age.