Tristram's bunting is a bird in the family Emberizidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1870.
Region
East Asia
Typical Environment
It breeds in the cool temperate forests of northeastern Asia, notably northeastern China and the Russian Far East, where mixed and coniferous woods have dense, shrubby undergrowth. During migration it moves through thickets, riparian scrub, and forest edges. In winter it is found farther south in East Asia, especially eastern and southern China, Taiwan, and parts of Japan. It prefers shadowy, well-vegetated ground layers with leaf litter for feeding. Occasional vagrants appear outside the core range during migration.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Tristram's bunting is a shy, forest-dwelling bunting of East Asia, named after the British naturalist Henry Baker Tristram and first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1870. It skulks in dense undergrowth and is often detected by its thin, metallic call notes. Males show a distinctive dark hood with warm chestnut tones on the face during the breeding season.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, bounding flights
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it forages singly or in small, loose flocks, often remaining close to dense cover. Nests are placed low or on the ground in thick vegetation; the female primarily incubates while the male helps with provisioning. Pairs are monogamous within a season and defend small nesting territories.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
The song is a thin, tinkling series of short phrases, delivered from a low perch within cover. Calls include high, metallic tsip notes and soft ticks, often given when flushed.
Plumage
Streaked brown upperparts with two pale wingbars and a buffy, lightly streaked underside. Breeding males show a dark hooded head with rich chestnut ear-coverts and pale supercilium; females and non-breeding birds are duller and more diffusely marked. Tail is brown with subtle paler edges, and tertials are rufous-edged.
Diet
It eats small seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants, supplemented by insects and other invertebrates, especially during the breeding season. In spring and summer it takes beetles, caterpillars, and spiders gleaned from foliage and the ground. It may also consume small berries when available. Grit is often swallowed to aid in processing hard seeds.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mostly on the ground in leaf litter and at the edges of forest paths, thickets, and clearings. It favors dense, shaded understory where it can quickly retreat to cover.
