Michele Mendi

Passerine breeding from W Europe to Caspian region/Middle East up to C Asia (BirdLife International 2022). Avoids high latitudes. Most populations are resident but those breeding in further continental regions in C/E Europe, migrate (BirdLife International 2022).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		42200000-67800000,52100000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Corn Bunting

Populations from S/W Europe resident, or just perform short-range movements after breeding (e.g. constituting flocks that disappear again prior to breeding). Migratory European populations/individuals show a N-S axis of migration, SW-biased for those populations which breed in W half of Europe, SE-biased for those which breed in E half of Europe. Moreover, very patent parallel migration patterns, so winter distribution ranges are mirror of breeding ones. Thus, birds from W Europe up to W Germany overwinter from Iberia to S France (some even pass over Iberia to reach Morocco). Birds from E/SE Europe seem to move more likely SE, up to S Greece. Birds from UK just show short-range movements within the island, exceptionally a bird recovered in Belgium.

Recoveries by Condition for Corn Bunting

Highest majority of recoveries (>80%) due to birds found alive, mostly recaptures (ring recoveries; ca. 50%). Before 1960, however, 62% of recoveries were due to birds found dead, sick or wounded, with an additional ca. 20% of birds dead by shot. By then, just <15% of recoveries were due to birds alive. This general picture started to change during 1961-1990 period, with ca. 30% of recoveries due to birds found dead, sick or wounded, with an additional 12% of birds dead by shot. At the same time, almost 50% of recoveries were then due to birds recaptured alive in ringing campaigns. Nowadays, majority of recoveries due to birds seen alive, both recaptured for ringing and identified by other means.

Annual Movements for Corn Bunting

Migration in autumn occurs in Oct-Nov. Bird stay in their wintering sites mostly from Nov to Feb. Return back to breeding quarters across much of Europe in Feb/Mar.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Corn Bunting

Short-distance recoveries in random directions, associated to local movements (normally <100 km), usual as birds congregate in flocks (they become gregarious) before the winter. . Longer-distance recoveries from W Europe move SW, reaching Iberia with recoveries mainly in Jan-Feb. Birds from C Europe mainly move SW up to SW Iberia. Winter recoveries in S France, to a lesser extent Iberia, mostly from Nov to Feb (arrival to winter quarters in Oct/Nov, departure in Feb/Mar). Birds from SE sector from C Europe probably more likely to move SE, with a recovery in S Greece in Feb.

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
BirdLife International 2022 . Species factsheet: Emberiza calandra.

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