ID Keys: Strong head pattern, yellow-stripe supercilium fading to
white in the rear, white below with streaks on breast and flanks
The
Yellow-browed Bunting was unknown in North America until a single bird was
found on St. Lawrence Island, off the coast of Alaska, in 2007. Their
normal range is in Asia, where they breed in Siberia and winter in China.
Habitat
Found in taiga forests of Siberia during
the breeding season. Inhabits forested areas with undergrowth and thickets
during the winter. They can be found in dense, unbroken forest but
forest clearings and edges are more preferable habitat.
Diet
Feeds mostly on seeds, but during the
breeding season they consume insects and feed insects to the young.
Behavior
Gregarious outside of the breeding
season, where they often form mixed flocks with other Emberiza
species.
Nesting
The nest of a Yellow-browed Bunting is
usually placed in a small pine or spruce tree, relatively close to the
ground (3 to 10 feet). The nest is loose collection of grasses, lined
with finer grasses, moss, and animal hair. The female lays 3-6 eggs,
and both parents help to incubate them.
Song
The song of a Yellow-browed Bunting is a
series of phrases with distinct characteristics, with the first phrase a
clear, musical, drawn-out note, followed by two higher-pitched notes, and
ending with a variable repetitive series of notes.
Migration
Migratory, with breeding range
concentrated in eastern Siberia, and wintering range in China.
