Corn Bunting

Emberiza calandra

Sings a rattle that sounds like jangling keys. Delivers messages from disappearing grasslands.

Population: 180-320 million mature individuals globally (2012 estimate; decreasing trend, marked decline in NW Europe, moderate decline in central Europe, stable in Central Asia)
Habitat: Open, rolling farmland and grassland — cereal fields, hay meadows, weedy wasteland, and natural steppe; tolerates scattered bushes but avoids woodland
Fun fact: Nicknamed the "fat bird of the barley" in Britain, the plain-looking corn bunting is famous for its unmusical, jangling song often compared to the sound of jingling keys.
Range: Widespread across Europe (west to Portugal/UK), North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia east to Kazakhstan and northwestern China; northern/central populations partially migratory, southern populations largely resident
Diet: Primarily seeds and grain, supplemented with insects (e.g., crickets), which become especially important food for nestlings
Size: 0.18 m
Wingspan: 0.29 m
Lifespan: 8 years

More Songbirds