Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Scientific name definitions

12–13·5 cm; 12–19·3 g. Small bunting , c. 10% smaller than otherwise somewhat similar E. schoeniclus; small bill with straight culmen. In breeding plumage (worn) has much of head , including chin and upper throat, deep chestnut, prominent pale eyering, very dark broad lateral crownstripe , narrow dark line behind eye and around rear and lower edges of ear-coverts , latter with small light buff spot in rear corner; some variation, some individuals with less extensive chestnut, having rear supercilium and rear crown more creamy and chin buffish; upper­parts greyish-buff, heavily streaked dark brown, rump less clearly streaked; lesser upperwing-coverts grey-brown, median and greater coverts dark brown with narrow pale tips (forming wingbars), flight-feathers dark brown with narrow pale reddish-brownish edges; tail brown, outermost feather with white outer web and white wedge on inner web, next feather with smaller pale wedge; lower throat and underparts whitish-buff, prominent streaks on breast and flanks; iris dark red-brown; bill dark grey, cutting edges and base of lower mandible pale pinkish-grey; legs pinkish. Non-breeding (fresh) plumage is similar, but head pattern somewhat obscured by paler feather fringes, has light red-brown lores and anterior supercilium, pale reddish-brown median crownstripe between dark crown sides, red-brown to orange-tinged yellow-brown ear-coverts with narrow dark border at rear and small pale spot in rear corner; upperparts with broader pale feather fringes than in breeding plumage, and underparts buffier, with whitish belly, and slightly more diffuse streaking. Sexes very similar. Juvenile is like adult, but plumage with less rich tones, supercilium sandy buff, ear-coverts rufescent brown, submoustachial stripe and throat pale sandy buff, nape olive-brown but less streaked than crown, mantle sandy buff with some rufous-brown and heavily streaked black, breast yellowish-buff and rather heavily streaked, iris dark grey-brown; first-winter much as adult winter.

NE Norway, N Sweden (rare), N Finland and N Russia E across Siberia and Russian Far East (N to mouth of Ob and Gydan Peninsula, to c. 75° N on R Yenisey, and mouths of Indigirka, Kolyma and Anadyr) to Pacific, S to c. 60° N in W and to middle R Yenisey, N of L Baikal, S Yakutia and near R Arka on Sea of Okhotsk coast; also NE China and possibly 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 from NE Indian Subcontinent E to N & C Myanmar, N Thailand, N Indochina, S China (S of R Yangtze) and Taiwan.

Breeds in moist open taiga, or partly flooded forests, with dwarf birch (Betula nana) and willow (Salix) and alder (Alnus), as well as in more open tundra , from bushy areas to areas with only low, sparse shrubs; tends to concentrate along river valleys where willow stands present. Occupies less wooded and less flooded areas than those preferred by E. rustica, and wetter and less open areas than those used by Calcarius lapponicus. In winter uses variety of open and semi-open habitats, from edges of forest to scrubby hillsides, crop fields, stubble and paddyfields, also edges of roads and paths and areas of bushes near marshes; also visits gardens and orchards.

Migratory; winters mainly in region from NE Indian Subcontinent E to SE China and S to N Indochina. Normally migrates singly or in small loose flocks, very occasionally in flocks of 100 or more individuals. Autumn migration begins final third of Jul, increasing during Aug, most having left breeding areas by mid-Sept; those from W range initially head directly E, then turn SE in W Siberia; passage in Mongolia and N China during Sept and early Oct, and in NE China lasts a little longer, birds still passing during early Nov. During autumn regular in small numbers in NW Europe, Israel and Japan. Spring migration starts in Mar, last birds leaving wintering grounds early May; in NE China main period of spring migration between last third of Apr and first half of May. Vagrant in most W European countries, also Canary Is, N Africa, Turkey and Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Borneo, Philippines, W USA (Alaska and California  ) and NW Mexico (S Baja California); regular in some places, e.g. average of c. 30–35 each year in Britain, mainly Sept–Oct, and overwintering not uncommon.

Diet during breeding includes seeds and invertebrates . Recorded items include mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), bugs (Hemiptera), adult and larval Lepidoptera, caddis flies (Trichoptera), adult and larval flies (Diptera), Hymenoptera, beetles (Coleoptera), spiders (Araneae), earthworms (Lumbricidae), also seeds of cowberry (Vaccinium), crowberry (Empetrum), grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). Nestlings fed mostly with invertebrates; fledglings fed mainly with defoliating caterpillars, craneflies (Tipulidae), midges (Diptera), beetles and spiders. Diet during winter mostly seeds , such as those of sedges, grasses and cereals, but invertebrates still form a significant percentage of items. Forages on ground and at low levels in bushes and trees. In N Scandinavia actively seeks caterpillars (of family Geometridae) a few metres above ground in birches, bilberry (Vaccinium) and other kinds of low vegetation. Solitary and in pairs and small groups. Outside breeding season usually in small flocks of up to a dozen or so individuals, occasionally more; mixes with other seed-eaters, also roosts with E. schoeniclus.

Song  , from top of tree or bush, rather variable, consisting usually of two or three parts each of which composed of a number of similar units, with last part more variable, e.g. “zree zree zree tsütsütsütsü tzriiitu” or “tzrü tzrü tzrü zee zee zee zee zriiiiru”; some parts reminiscent of song of E. schoeniclus. Call a hard “pwick” or “zick”, very like that of E. rustica, similar to call of Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) but weaker.

Season begins relatively late, between early Jun and Jul, some pairs still nesting during Aug; single-brooded. Nest built entirely by female, composed of grass, twigs, stalks, moss and hair, lined with fine grass, lichens and hair, placed on ground and concealed in grass tussock, occasionally on tree stump or low down in tree. Clutch 4–6 , colour variable from pale lavender-grey, pale ashy blue or pale green to pale pinkish-buff, pale chestnut or dark brown, with blotches of lilac-grey and marked with sparse dark reddish-brown spots, streaks and lines.eggs Incubation by both sexes , period 11–12 days; chicks fed by both sexes, leave nest 6–8 days after hatching, still unable to fly, fully fledged 3–5 days later; fed by both parents.