Birds of India - The New Synopsis

A complete checklist of bird species and subspecies found in India

Passeriformes (Perching Birds)

Emberizidae (Buntings)

• Emberiza Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.177 Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1840, A list of the genera of birds, with an indication of the typical species of each genus, p.47)
  • 1362. Striolated Bunting Emberiza striolata (Lichtenstein, 1823)
    Alternative Names: House Bunting
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1362a. Emberiza striolata striolata (Lichtenstein, 1823) [HB#2057]
      Original Description: Fringilla striolata Lichtenstein, 1823 Verzeichniss der Doubletten des zoologischen Museums der Königl. Universität zu Berlin nebst Beschreibung vieler bisher unbekannter Arten von Säugethieren, Vögeln, Amphibien und Fischen p.24
      Distribution: Western half of India from Jammu, Punjab, Haryana, W Uttar Pradesh, Delhi region, Rajasthan, Gujarat, W Madhya Pradesh, W Maharashtra, and straggling further east and south to N Karnataka.
      Specimens: NHMUK, UMMZ, FMNH
      Notes: Locally breeding but population augumented with winter visitors.
  
  
  • 1363. Eurasian Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus (Linnaeus, 1758)
    Original Description: Fringilla schoeniclus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.182
    Alternative Names: Common Reed Bunting, Reed Bunting
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1363a. Emberiza schoeniclus pallidior Hartert, 1904 [HB#2058]
      Original Description: Emberiza schoeniclus pallidior Hartert, 1904 Die Vögel der paläarktischen Fauna. Systematische Übersicht der in Europa, Nord-Asien und der Mittelmeerregion vorkommenden Vögel 1 p.197
      Taxonomy: See Shirihai & Svensson (2018, Handbook of Birds of Western Palearctic II p. 557) – regionally occurring pallidior sometimes treated under the nominate subspecies as it is impossible to tell even on a series. Birds of the World (Copete & Christie 2021) treats regional birds as passerina Pallas 1771, on what authority is uncertain.
      Distribution: Winter: Gilgit, Kashmir, and Ladakh; historically has straggled to Haryana and Delhi region as well as E Assam.
      Specimens: BNHS
      Notes: Subspecies identity of the E Assam birds uncertain.
  
  
  • 1364. Yellow-browed Bunting Emberiza chrysophrys Pallas, 1776
    Original Description: Emberiza chrysophrys Pallas, 1776 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3 p.697
    Distribution: Vagrant. Reported from Bail Is. (W Bengal) and Ograbarj (S Andaman Is.).
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: See Kundu & Abhinav (2018, IB 14 (3): 80), Paul et al. (2020, IB 16 (1): 31).
  
  
  • 1365. Tristram's Bunting Emberiza tristrami Swinhoe, 1870
    Original Description: Emberiza tristrami Swinhoe, 1870 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Part 2 p.441
    Distribution: Vagrant. Reported from Mishmi hills and Namdapha (both E Arunachal).
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: See Naniwadekar et al. (2013, IB 8 (5): 134), Nanda & Phukan (2023, IB 19 (4): 130).
  
  
  • 1366. Chestnut Bunting Emberiza rutila Pallas, 1776 [HB#2045]
    Original Description: Emberiza rutila Pallas, 1776 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3 p.698
    Distribution: Winter: NE Arunachal (Mishmi hills and Upper Noa Dihing valley), Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Mizoram; sporadically in W Assam, Sikkim, N Bengal, Uttarakhand, Ladakh (historically), and Andaman Is. (historically).
    Specimens: NHMUK, UMMZ, USNM
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: Cachar report (AR2001) not evaluated but likely.
  
  
  • 1367. Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola Pallas, 1773
    IUCN: Critically Endangered. SoIB: High. WLPA: Schedule-I. CMS: Appendix I.
    • 1367a. Emberiza aureola aureola Pallas, 1773 [HB#2046]
      Original Description: Emberiza aureola Pallas, 1773 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 2 p.711
      Distribution: Winter: Haryana (historical), Himachal, Uttarakhand, W Bengal, and stragglers to W coast (Gujarat, Goa, SW Karnataka, and Kerala).
      Specimens: BNHS, YPM
      Notes: As per AR2001, the nominate subspecies is what winters in India while RA2012 could not find any specimens. Birds seen in the western parts of India are presumed to be from this population in Europe. This population has declined drastically in the last few decades and may amount to only 120-600 mature individuals. See Shirihai & Svensson (2018, Handbook of Birds of Western Palearctic II p.552) for a picture labelled as this subspecies from West Bengal, India.
    • 1367b. Emberiza aureola ornata Shulpin, 1928
      Original Description: Emberiza aureola ornata Shulpin, 1928 Annuaire du Musée Zoologique de l'Académie des Sciences de l'Union des Républiques Sovietiques Socialistes 28 livr.3 p.401
      Distribution: Winter: Jharkhand, W Bengal, Assam, adjoining Arunachal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur valley, and Tripura; as well as Andaman and also Nicobar Is. (historical).
      Specimens: NHMUK, YPM
      Notes: RA2012 identified the male specimens as this subspecies.
  
  
  • 1368. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Pallas, 1776 [HB#2056]
    Original Description: Emberiza pusilla Pallas, 1776 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3 p.697
    Distribution: Winter: Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, Himachal, Uttarakhand, W Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and all NE hill states. Sporadically elsewhere – from Punjab, Delhi Region, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, SW Karnataka, NW Tamil Nadu, and Kerala (Munnar hills). Also reported from Narcondam, Andaman & Nicobar Is.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 1369. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica Pallas, 1776
    Taxonomy: Sometimes treated as monotypic (IOC, Avilist).
    IUCN: Vulnerable. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: See Das et al. (2020, IB 15 (6): 180), Verma & Abhinav (2021, IB 17 (3): 80), Wani & Rather (2022, IB 18 (4): 129).
    • 1369a. Emberiza rustica rustica Pallas, 1776
      Original Description: Emberiza rustica Pallas, 1776 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3 p.698
      Distribution: Vagrant: Reports from Leh (Ladakh), Kangan (Kashmir), Chamba and Udaipur (both NW Himachal), Roing (NE Arunachal), and Delhi region.
      Notes: Not possible to identify subspecies from photographs, but vagrants may have been from the western population.
  
  
  • 1370. Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala Pallas, 1776
    Original Description: Emberiza spodocephala Pallas, 1776 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3 p.698
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1370a. Emberiza spodocephala sordida Blyth, 1845 [HB#2047]
      Original Description: Emberiza sordida Blyth, 1845 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 13 p.958
      Taxonomy: New name for E melanops Blyth 1845 from Tripura.
      Distribution: Winter: W Bengal, Assam, adjoining Arunachal, Nagaland, Cachar, Manipur valley, and Tripura. Vagrant further west to Ladakh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and NW Uttar Pradesh.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, AMNH, FMNH, YPM
      Notes: Reports from Meghalaya (AR2001) not verified.
  
  
  • 1371. Crested Bunting Emberiza lathami Gray, 1831 [HB#2060]
    Original Description: Emberiza lathami Gray, 1831 The zoological miscellany 1 p.2
    Taxonomy: Includes subcristata Sykes 1832 described from Dukhun [=Deccan].
    Distribution: Along the Himalaya from Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal and Uttarakhand; adjoining Indus plains, N Uttar Pradesh, Delhi region, E Rajasthan, Gujarat, C India till Jharkhand, W Bengal in the east and Maharashtra and Telangana in the south; further east in Sikkim, N Bengal, Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Sporadic in Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, LKO, BNHM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 1372. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Scopoli, 1769 [HB#2043]
    Original Description: Emberiza melanocephala Scopoli, 1769 Annus I Historico-naturalis. Descriptiones avium musei proprii earumque rariorum, quas vidit in vivario Augustiss. Imperatorus, et museo excell. Comitis Francisci Annib. Turriani p.142
    Distribution: Winter: Mostly W India in Punjab, Delhi region, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and N Karnataka but also sporadically in Gilgit, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, W Bengal, E Odisha, Andhra, S Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Straggler to NE India including W Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, and Tripura.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, AMNH, MCZ, ROM, YPM, FTLB
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 1373. Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps Brandt, 1841 [HB#2044]
    Original Description: Emberiza bruniceps Brandt, 1841 Bulletin Scientifique publié par l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 9 col.12
    Distribution: Winter: Entire peninsula from Gilgit (passage), Kashmir, east till W Bengal, west till Gujarat and south till C Karnataka; sporadic further south in S Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, LKO
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 1374. Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata Pallas, 1776
    Original Description: Emberiza fucata Pallas, 1776 Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs 3 p.698
    Alternative Names: Grey-headed Bunting
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1374a. Emberiza fucata arcuata Sharpe, 1888 [HB#2055]
      Original Description: Emberiza arcuata Sharpe, 1888 Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum 12 p.494 (Shimla)
      Distribution: W Himalaya from Kashmir, Ladakh, through Jammu, Himachal, and Uttarakhand. Winter straggler further south to about Delhi region.
      Type Specimen: NHMUK#1887.6.1.1689 (Syntype).
      Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM
      Notes: Reports from Rajasthan (Sangha et al. 2016, IB 11 (1): 26) not considered definitive here vis-a-vis first winter E. stewarti.
    • 1374b. Emberiza fucata kuatunensis La Touche, 1925 [HB#2055a]
      Original Description: Emberiza fucata kuatunensis La Touche, 1925 Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 46 p.23
      Taxonomy: Treated under the nominate subspecies in AR2001.
      Distribution: Winter: SW and N Bengal, Assam, Arunachal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur, and Tripura. Stragglers to SW India and S Andaman Is.
      Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK
      Notes: Stragglers to SW Karnataka, and presumably Kerala as well, of this subspecies (See Monappa & Kumar 2018, IB 14 (4): 120).
  
  
  • 1375. Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides Brandt, 1843
    Original Description: Emberiza cioides Brandt, 1843 Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 1 col.363
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Recent addition.
    Notes: See Roddis & Loseby (2022, BA 37: 122).
    • 1375a. Emberiza cioides tarbagataica Sushkin, 1925
      Original Description: Emberiza cioides tarbagataica Sushkin, 1925 Spisok i raspredelenie ptits Russkogo Altaia i blizhaishikh chastei Severo-Zapadnoi Mongolii: s opisaniem novykh ili maloizvestnykh form p.67
      Distribution: Vagrant. Reported only from Gilgit.
      Notes: Subspecies likely on range.
  
  
  • 1376. Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii Taczanowski, 1874
    Original Description: Emberiza godlewskii Taczanowski, 1874 Journal für Ornithologie 22 p.330
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: See Singh (1995, FT 10: 98), Gode (2013, IB 8 (5): 126), Sharma et al. (2014, IB 9 (2): 49).
    • 1376a. Emberiza godlewskii decolorata Sushkin, 1925
      Original Description: Emberiza godlewskii decolorata Sushkin, 1925 Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 38 p.24
      Distribution: Gilgit and Ladakh
      Notes: Recent reports of birds from the C Asian population and this is the likely subspecies.
    • 1376b. Emberiza godlewskii khamensis Sushkin, 1925 [HB#2053]
      Original Description: Emberiza godlewskii khamensis Sushkin, 1925 Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 38 p.26
      Distribution: Walong region (NE Arunachal) only.
      Notes: Sharma et al. (2014, IB 9 (2): 51) assumed this subspecies though not definitely known.
  
  
  • 1377. Rock Bunting Emberiza cia Linnaeus, 1766
    Original Description: Emberiza cia Linnaeus, 1766 Systema Naturæ. Editio duodecima reformata. Tomus I [part 1] p.310
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1377a. Emberiza cia par Hartert, 1904 [HB#2051]
      Original Description: Emberiza cia par Hartert, 1904 Die Vögel der paläarktischen Fauna. Systematische Übersicht der in Europa, Nord-Asien und der Mittelmeerregion vorkommenden Vögel 1 p.184
      Distribution: Breeding: Trans Himalaya of Gilgit, Ladakh, and possibly Lahaul (Himachal). Non-breeding: Further south in N India including Punjab and Haryana with a specimen from Varanasi (historical).
      Specimens: BNHS, UMMZ, AMNH
      Notes: Sight report from Pune (Ingalhalikar 1993, JBNHS 80 (1): 223) has been retracted (Prasad 2006, Birds of Western Maharashtra p. 258).
    • 1377b. Emberiza cia stracheyi Moore, 1856 [HB#2052]
      Original Description: Emberiza stracheyi Moore, 1856 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Part 23 no.297 p.215 pl.112 (Kumaon)
      Distribution: Outer Himalaya from Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal, and Uttarakhand.
      Type Specimen: NHMUK#1880.1.1.4722 (Syntype).
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, ROM, YPM
      Notes: Non-breeding distribution not worked out but presumably only an altitude migrant.
  
  
  • 1378. Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani Blyth, 1845
    Alternative Names: Grey-hooded Bunting
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: Entire population of this species winters in India and hence all known subspecies included here. It is not possible to identify birds to subspecies level in wintering range.
    • 1378a. Emberiza buchanani cerrutii de Filippi, 1863
      Original Description: Emberiza cerrutii de Filippi, 1863 Archivio per la Zoologia, l'Anatomia e la Fisiologia 2 p.383
      Distribution: Winter: W India.
      Notes: Winter range assumed.
    • 1378b. Emberiza buchanani buchanani Blyth, 1845 [HB#2050]
      Original Description: Emberiza buchanani Blyth, 1845 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 13 p.957 (Indian peninsula)
      Taxonomy: Type specimen lost (Sclater 1892, Ibis 34 (1): 73). Includes huttoni Dresser 1902 (described from Afghanistan).
      Distribution: Western half of the peninsula from Kashmir, Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi region, Rajasthan, C India, Gujarat, Maharashtra, W Telangana, W Andhra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and W Tami Nadu.
      Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, FMNH, YPM
    • 1378c. Emberiza buchanani neobscura Paynter, 1970
      Original Description: Emberiza buchanani neobscura Paynter, 1970 Check-list of birds of the world 13 p.13
      Distribution: Breeding: Gilgit, Zanskar. Non-breeding: E India (Jharkhand, Odisha, W Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal). Gujarat, and possibly N India.
      Specimens: FMNH
      Notes: Birds reported from NE India (Assam, Arunachal) are almost certainly of this subspecies as the most easterly breeding population. Breeding season specimens from Zanskar (FMNH#245359), Baltistan (FMNH#245358) while winter specimens are from Gujarat (FMNH#245357,#214300).
  
  
  • 1379. Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana Linnaeus, 1758 [HB#2049]
    Original Description: Emberiza hortulana Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.177
    Distribution: Passage: Gilgit and W India including W Maharashtra, SW Karnataka, N and C Kerala. Reported also from Ladakh, Udaipur (Himachal), Sundarbans (W Bengal), and Chidiyatapu (S Andaman Is.).
    Specimens: NHMUK, MCZ
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: Sight reports from Gujarat (Prasad 2016, FL 8-12 (3-4): 36), Maharashtra (Pande & Pawashe 2007, Newsletter for Birdwatchers 47 (1): 8) and elsewhere in the Peninsula not verified vis-a-vis first winter plumage of other buntings like the Chestnut-eared, White-capped, and Grey-necked.
  
  
  • 1380. White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti (Blyth, 1854) [HB#2048]
    Original Description: Euspiza stewarti Blyth, 1854 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 23 p.215 (Landour and Dehradun, Uttarakhand)
    Taxonomy: Type specimen lost (Sclater 1892, Ibis 34 (1): 72).
    Alternative Names: Chestnut-breasted Bunting
    Distribution: Breeding: Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, and Himachal. Non-breeding: N India, south till Madhya Pradesh, N Maharashtra, and Gujarat; sporadic reports from Bihar, W Bengal, W Arunachal, and Karnataka.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, USNM, YPM, LKO
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 1381. Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos Gmelin, 1771
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1381a. Emberiza leucocephalos leucocephalos Gmelin, 1771 [HB#2042]
      Original Description: Emberiza leucocephalos Gmelin, 1771 Novi Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanae 15 p.480 pl.23 fig.3 spdP
      Taxonomy: Includes albida Blyth 1849 from Tyne Range, N Uttarakhand whose type is in ZSI.
      Distribution: Winter: W Himalaya from Gilgit, Ladakh, Kashmir, Jammu, and Himachal; sporadically into plains in Punjab and Haryana.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK
      Notes: Multiple reported from NE Arunachal (RA2012) not validated, but likely to be correct.
  
  
  • 1382. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758
    Original Description: Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.177
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 1382a. Emberiza citrinella erythrogenys Brehm, 1855
      Original Description: Emberiza erythrogenys Brehm, 1855 Der vollständige Vogelfang. Eine gründliche Anleitung, alle europäischen Vögel (etc.) p.414
      Distribution: Winter: W Himalaya from Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, and Uttarakhand.
      Notes: Plumage closest to this subspecies with possible hybrids with Pine Bunting E. leucocephalos also noted.