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Little Bunting

Emberiza pusillaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Breeding Location:

Forest edge, Bushes, shrubs, and thickets



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester



Breeding Population:

Accidental to casual



Egg Color:

Green, gray or pink with dark markings



Number of Eggs:

4 - 6



Incubation Days:

11 - 12



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

Dried leaves and grass, with fine lining of fine grasses and moss.



Migration:

Migratory



Splitbar

Overview

Little Bunting: Small finch with dark-streaked gray-brown upperparts, heavily streaked white underparts. Face and crown are chestnut-brown and black-bordered. Eye-ring is dull white; throat is white. Wings have two pale, thin bars. Legs, feet are yellow. Tail has white outer feathers.

Range and Habitat

Little Bunting: Reported from St. Lawrence Island and the western Aleutians, northwestern Alaska, and California. Preferred habitats include mountain forests.

Breeding and Nesting

Little Bunting: Four to six glossy, pale green, gray, olive, or pink eggs, marked with black, brown, and lilac, are laid in a nest made of dried leaves and grass, lined with fine grass and moss, and built in a ground depression hidden by dense vegetation. Incubation ranges from 11 to 12 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Little Bunting: Eats mainly seeds and insects; forages primarily on the ground but also gleans foliage.

Readily Eats

Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit

Vocalization

Little Bunting: Song is a rich "tee-tee-tee-teerec" with repeated phrases. Call is an abrasive "tsick."

Similar Species

Little Bunting: Rustic Bunting is larger, lacks eye-rings, and has a heavier bill with pink lower mandible.

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Family Buntings, Finches, Sparrows (Emberizidae)_blue
Species Emberiza pusilla
Length5 - 5.5 Inches
Wingspan8.25 Inches

Little Bunting

Little Bunting: Small finch with dark-streaked gray-brown upperparts, heavily streaked white underparts. Face and crown are chestnut-brown and black-bordered. Eye-ring is dull white; throat is white. Wings have two pale, thin bars. Legs, feet are yellow. Tail has white outer feathers.

● Song: "tee-tee-tee-teerec", "tsick"

● Foraging & Feeding: Little Bunting: Eats mainly seeds and insects; forages primarily on the ground but also gleans foliage.

● Breeding & nesting: Little Bunting: Four to six glossy, pale green, gray, olive, or pink eggs, marked with black, brown, and lilac, are laid in a nest made of dried leaves and grass, lined with fine grass and moss, and built in a ground depression hidden by dense vegetation. Incubation ranges from 11 to 12 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Little Bunting: Rustic Bunting is larger, lacks eye-rings, and has a heavier bill with pink lower mandible.

Flight Pattern

Swift bouncy flight on rapidly beating wings alternating with brief periods of wings pulled to body.
Little Bunting Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Little Bunting: Reported from St. Lawrence Island and the western Aleutians, northwestern Alaska, and California. Preferred habitats include mountain forests.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationAccidental to casual
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.5 Ounces