Little Chestnut-eared Bunting
November 21, 2005 | Category: Birding
Identification of Chestnut-eared Bunting (Grey-headed Bunting) and Little Bunting.
My birding buddy Dr.OGAWA found a bunting that might be Chestnut-eared Bunting at the riverbank but when he came back and reconsider, it seems Little Bunting. Little Bunting is very rare in Japan!
So he sent me a e-mail with some photos and called me to discuss. My first impression of this bird was "exactly CE Bunting". I feel odd however, because it has clear lateral-crown stripe and median crown stripe which cannot be visible in Chestnut-eared Bunting. My pal said that is why he thought Little Bunting. It's true, but I noticed that no black line on the cheek like Little Bunting. I saw many photos of Little Bunting, there are black line on the cheek with no exceptions.
We exchanged thoughts for a long moment and finally, we concluded that this is 1st winter female Chestnut-eared Bunting (He has a little suspicion at this moment). He called me again within minutes, and pointed out about color of a rump. The color is too dark to Little Bunting. I think that is definitive answer and it was same as him.
The arrows show note portions.
Chestnut-eared Bunting
Emberiza fucata
1st winter female?
• No black line on the cheek like Little Bunting.
• Buffy breast and bleary streaks than Little Bunting.
• Maroon rump.
• The same individual.
• Median crown stripe which cannot be visible. hmmm....
Little Bunting
Emberiza pusilla
adult winter.
• Typical figure.
Photo: OGAWA, Jiro (Chestnut-eared Bunting), KAMIOKI, Masayoshi (Little Bunting)
