The masked bunting is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It is found in Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Japan.
Region
Northeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs on Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands, and across northern and central Japan, especially Hokkaido and northern Honshu. Prefers dense shrubbery, forest edges, and riparian thickets with tall grasses and reeds. Often uses second-growth woodland, overgrown farmland, and coastal scrub. In winter it frequents brushy parks and hedgerows near human settlements while still keeping close to cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Masked bunting was long treated as a subspecies of the black-faced bunting but is recognized by several authorities as a distinct species. Males show a bold black facial mask that gives the bird its name, while females are much duller and more streaked. It is a shy, ground-loving bunting that keeps to dense cover and often reveals itself by its simple, tinkling song.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Forages singly or in pairs during the breeding season and gathers in small loose flocks outside it. Typically nests low in dense shrubs or on the ground, building a cup of grasses and rootlets. Likely monogamous, with the female incubating and both parents feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a short, simple series of clear, tinkling notes delivered from a low perch within cover. Calls include a sharp metallic tick and soft seep used to maintain contact in thick vegetation.
