Appearance:

Large and long-tailed bunting with rufous rump. Mainly yellow and brown plumage. Head bright yellow with dark markings in breeding male. Female darker, with streaked head, yellow throat and supercilium. Back greyish and streaked . Rufous rump distinguishes it from Ortolan and Cirl Bunting. Underparts pale yellow, with relatively coarse streaking.

Sound:

Distinct contact call: A short and brittle "zeet", rich in harmonics. Song a series of 6-8 (or more) slightly ascending "tze" 's, rising in volume and ending on a sustained note, which may be lower or higher than the others. Often rendered as "little-bit-of-cheese-and-no-bread". Last note is often omitted, which may lead to confusion with Cirl Bunting. Timbre with prominent harmonics as in other bunting songs.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:BiteYourBum.Com Photography, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Plumage a mix of rusty, creamy brown and grey, resembling a nightjar. A rather unmistakable bird, despite the lack of striking plumage features. Behaviour both passerine- and woodpecker-like, but with less woodpecker-like tree clinging. Often feeds on the ground. May give a reptile-like impression.

Sound:

Normally silent when not breeding. Song (both sexes): an insisting, Merlin- or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker-like series of plaintive "kee kee kee kee kee ". First slightly ascending, then descending. Other sounds: a guttural "gru", and hissing sounds when threatened.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC