Chestnut-eared Bunting Identification Guide

Key Field Marks

• Medium-sized bunting with streaked brown upperparts and a stout, conical bill typical of the family.
• Gray head with a bold chestnut (rufous) patch on the ear coverts/cheek — the standout feature that gives the species its name.
• Black or dark malar (mustache) stripes framing a pale throat.
• Necklace of dark streaks or spots across the upper breast, sometimes coalescing into a band.
• Rufous wash on the rump/uppertail coverts and white outer tail feathers, visible in flight.

Similar Species

• Meadow Bunting: Shows a different head pattern with a broader white supercilium and lacks the concentrated chestnut ear patch and necklace of streaks.
• Yellow-throated Bunting and other Emberiza buntings: Separated by combinations of throat color, head pattern, and breast markings; the chestnut ear patch plus streaked breast necklace is the most efficient combination for Chestnut-eared Bunting.

Habitat & Range

• Breeds across parts of Siberia, Japan, Korea, and China, favoring wet, grassy habitats.
• Typical habitat includes grassy marshes, wet meadows, rice paddy edges, and scrubby vegetation along rivers and streams.
• Winters farther south, into southern China, Southeast Asia, and parts of South Asia.

Behavior

• Often perches low in grass or scrub, dropping down to forage on the ground for seeds and insects.
• Can be somewhat skulking outside the breeding season, staying low in dense grass.

Voice

• Song is a thin, varied warbling series, delivered from an exposed low perch during the breeding season.
• Call is a sharp, short "tsip" or similar clipped note.