Scientific name: Emberiza melanocephala Scopoli, 1769
Bird group: Buntings
Field characters. 17 cm. Rather large bunting with long tail and bill. Male has black head, rich chestnut upperparts and yellow underparts. Female duller, with greyish head, white eye-ring, pale yellow underside and greyish upperparts. Wings dark with cream and white feather edgings, tail without any white. Juveniles even duller than females, with some yellow only on undertail-coverts, but with chestnut rump. Males rather conspicuous, often sitting in top of bush and singing from exposed perch. Females more secretive and difficult to observe.
Voice. Call 'zit' and 'luut'. Song warbling, sometimes reminiscent of Whitethroat.
Distribution. Common summer visitor in south-east of region.
Habitat. Cultivated areas with bushes, hedges, orchards, trees along road sides, etc.
Food. Seeds and invertebrates. Feeds on the ground or in bushes.