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Corn Bunting

Emberiza calandra

Not yet photographed by the community

Largest bunting; jangling keys song; declining rapidly.

Species Profile

Red List (Birds of Conservation Concern)

Lifespan: 5–7 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 18–19 cm, wingspan 26–32 cm; 24–38 g
Habitat: Open farmland, grassland, and cereal crops with scattered bushes or hedgerows for song posts.
UK Distribution: Historically widespread across southern and central England, now scarce and declining. Resident year-round in small numbers, with some continental birds arriving in winter.
Diet: Seeds from grasses, cereals, and weeds in winter; insects and their larvae during breeding season, especially for feeding chicks.
Predators: Sparrowhawks, kestrels, and occasionally domestic cats.
Mating Season: April to August
Breeding: Clutch size 3–5 eggs; incubation period 12–14 days; fledging at 9–10 days. Usually 1–2 broods per season.
Behaviour: Males are polygynous and highly territorial, delivering their distinctive jingling song from prominent perches. Highly gregarious outside breeding season, forming flocks that can number hundreds. Males often sing from the same perch repeatedly, making them conspicuous.

Did You Know?

•The male's song is often described as sounding like 'a handful of keys being jangled' and is one of the most distinctive sounds of summer farmland.
•Corn Bunting numbers have declined by over 95% since the 1960s due to intensive farming practices and loss of suitable habitat.
•Males are notably promiscuous and may mate with multiple females without providing parental care, relying entirely on females to raise chicks.
•Their large, conical bill is specially adapted for cracking open tough seeds.
•In winter, corn buntings form loose flocks that roost together, often in reed beds or long grass, for warmth and predator avoidance.

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