adult, spring

adult, spring

adult, winter

adult, winter

Western Palearctic

Identification

Corn Buntings are bigger and plumper than other buntings, streaky brown in all plumages, with a heavier and more distinctly notched bill. In flight they lack white outer tail feathers and frequently leave their legs dangling.

Habitat

Breeds on farmland, downs and coastal scrub. Winters on arable farmland, often in stubble.

Behaviour

Corn Buntings have a similar breeding system to Wrens in which the male establishes a territory and then tries to attract as many females as possible to breed within it. If the territory is poor then he may attract only one mate and will assist with rearing the young but more typically he will leave each female to rear the young on her own while he continues singing to attract the next passing female. In this way one male Corn Bunting was shown to breed with 11 different females in one season. This abandonment of parental duties explains why male Corn Buntings, like Wrens, are able to spend so much time singing.

Migration

Some birds are resident: paradoxically, these may be the northernmost birds, which range in large flocks during winter. More southerly birds are believed to head west and south west during winter whilst remaining within the breeding range. British birds are resident.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, this species is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Edington, Wilts 03/11/12	Wallasea Island, Essex 15/08/12	Shingle Street, Suffolk 12/08/12	Shingle Street, Suffolk 12/08/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 11/08/12
undisclosed site, Suffolk 11/08/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 11/08/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 10/08/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 10/08/12	undisclosed site, Outer Hebrides 15/05/12
Titchwell (village), Norfolk 22/07/12	undisclosed site, Lancs 23/07/12	undisclosed site, Lancs 23/07/12	undisclosed site, Wilts 26/07/12	undisclosed site, Lincs 21/07/12
undisclosed site, Suffolk 12/07/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 12/07/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 12/07/12	Buckton, E Yorks 03/07/12	Abberton Reservoir, Essex 25/06/12
Abberton Reservoir, Essex 25/06/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 21/06/12	undisclosed site, Suffolk 21/06/12	undisclosed site, Kent 19/06/12	undisclosed site, Kent 19/06/12

 View all photos of Corn Bunting

Corn Bunting breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country, and a map of population densities):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

 Birding in Spain DVD
 Video Guide to British Birds iPod Classic Edition
 iDentify European Birds
 iDentify British Birds
 Birding in Mallorca and the Arctic DVD
 British Birds Video Guide - 130 species edition
 British Birds Video Guide - 270 species edition
 Video Guide to British Birds for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
 iDentify Europese Vogels
 Ultimate Site Guide
 Breeding Birds of Britain and Ireland
 Breeding Birds of the Western Palearctic

	RSPB: Action needed to transform fortunes of rare farmland bird	Friday 3rd August 2012
	Scotland's Corn Bunting population is in need of urgent help.   read on
	RSPB: Farming funds could transform Corn Bunting fortunes	Wednesday 9th February 2011
	A new study highlights the value of Government investment in targeted agri-environment schemes.   read on
	RSPB: Farmland birds at their lowest levels	Thursday 20th January 2011
	Will our children be able to enjoy the countryside our grandparents experienced?   read on
	RSPB: Fat Bird of the Barley needs our help	Monday 17th May 2010
	News of an eight-year project to reverse the decline of Corn Buntings to eastern Scotland.   read on
	RSPB: Record flock of rare birds baffles experts	Monday 18th January 2010
	Corn Buntings make themselves at home on a wildlife-friendly farm in Bedfordshire.   read on
	RSPB: Aid for farmers boosts hopes for threatened bird	Thursday 6th March 2008
	Changes in farming techniques could help to save the Corn Bunting.   read on
	Crumbs of Comfort for Farmland Birds	Thursday 22nd February 2007
	Research by the RSPB on the food preferences of declining farmland birds proves that food variety is the key to helping these birds in winter.   read on

 BirdGuides webzine

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