Yellow-throated bunting

Bright yellow throat

Scientific name	Emberiza elegans
English name	Yellow-throated bunting
Japanese name	深山頬白
Classification	Aves
Classification details	Passeriformes Emberizidae
Full length	16cm
Distribution	Eurasia

Characteristics

A winter bird of the Bunting family, the male's throat and eyebrows are bright yellow. It is very similar to bunting and cassilla dacha. Females in particular have a pale yellow color, so much so that they can be mistaken for cassava.

Like other bunting birds, males have well-developed crest feathers and a black eye line. The tail feathers are W-shaped.

Ecology

They come around mountains and forests. They form flocks and feed on seeds and small insects.

They come from the continent in the winter and overwinter.

Habitat

This photo was taken near Enrei Ojo Parkline Observatory in Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture. It was a snowy day from the morning, but birds, mainly buntings, were active.

Among the trees, a male perched on a branch that was not exposed to light. It was about the same size as a bunting, but could be identified by the bright yellow color of its throat. After a while, he returned to the bush.