Birds · Passeriformes · Emberizidae

Rock Bunting

Emberiza cia

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The rock bunting is a bird of the sunny, stony slopes of the middle mountains, with an ash-grey head streaked with black and a warm cinnamon belly. In Spain it is relatively common in sierras throughout the country, from the Sistema Central to the Baetic ranges, always on open ground with stones, scattered scrub and some grass. Its song is a short, high phrase given from a prominent rock.

Weight

18 g – 28 g

Size

15 cm – 17 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

MountainGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Mountain Grassland

11countries 53parks5same family

Fun facts

GeneralA grey head with black stripes; closely tied to stony sun-facing slopes.
It is a bird of the middle mountains that has gradually taken over the abandoned terraces of vineyards and olive groves on mid-slopes, where the mosaic of stone, scrub and grass reproduces its natural habitat exactly.
Its European decline is linked to scrub encroachment on the slopes: when grazing goes and the scrub closes up, the stony clearings where it feeds disappear.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Sunny stony slopes with scattered scrub, terraced vineyards and rocky ground of the middle mountains
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 13 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 4 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emberiza_cia