Corn Bunting

Emberiza calandra

Scarce & local residents of 10,000 pairs in Britain & declining, now only a vagrant in Ireland.

Common in Continental Europe & North West Africa.

Males lack any showy colours, especially on the head, which is otherwise typical of genus Emberiza.

Both sexes look something like larks, being streaked grey-brown above with whitish underparts.

The underparts are streaked over the flanks and breast, and the streaking forms gorget around the throat.

The lesser wing coverts are distinctively dark and white-tipped.

The tail is plain brown.[8]

The song of the Male is a repetitive metallic sound, usually likened to jangling bunch of keys, which is given from a low bush, fence post or telephone wires.