pchunchiu

2/11/2007
Long Valley





Thanks

gary

The id of chestnut-eared bunting and Little Bunting has suddenly become a hot discussion topic.
However, may I raise a third option?
This bird looks like a Rustic Bunting to me, though I have no experience on this species.

gary

pchunchiu

Thanks Gary. I'll be very glad if it is a rustic bunting, but I am not very convinced as it lacks chestnut streaks on flanks which should occur in all plumages of rustic bunting. According to the book Birds of South-East Asia, this bird seems to match the First-winter female of Chestnut-eared Bunting as both of them show a buffy crown,nape,breast and flanks. One thing I am not very sure if Chestnut-eared Bunting bears such well-defined lateral crown stipes.

gary

Chiu,

yes, you are right. Having go through a more detail of Rustic, it should has white wing bars, reddish flanks and no such bold lateral crown stipe. So, Rustic can be rule out.
However, I've never seen a Chestnut-eared has a distinctive lateral crown stripe and brownish median crown stripe.  It should be a Little then.
If you have the concept of size, Little usually give a small-sized impression .

Gary