Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla), Slaughter Ranch, Cochise County

This Little Bunting was found by Richard Webster on 27 May 2017 and photographed by Chris Benesh and Narca Moore-Craig on 27 May 2017

First state record of this Asian species. In North America this is a rare fall visitor to Bering Sea islands in Alaska and casual in fall south of there along the Pacific Coast (Washington to Baja California). Only one prior spring record for North America (Alaska) and the only other interior record in the lower 48 was from winter (Oregon). One might speculate that this species wintered somewhere in the New World (e.g. Mexico) and is now moving back north. The species is believed to migrate largely inland during Spring in Asia (hence why there are so few records) so one that succesfully overwintered in the New World would more likely turn up in the interior of the US than along the coast.

A small Savannah Sparrow sized bird, with a small pointed bill, heavily streaked black dorsally and across the chest. Most distinctive feature is warm brown face (auriculares, lores, supercilium), plain except for a thin dark post-ocular stripe and auricular frame, paler malar, with dark lateral throat stripe and contrasting white eye ring. Broad pale brownish central crown stripe bordered by darker brown crown stripes. Tail with much of r6 white and r5 with narrower wedge of white along rachis. Central tail feathers (r1-2 on each side?) appear to be older generation and extremely worn).

27 May 2017, photo by Chris Benesh

 

27 May 2017, photo by Narca Moore-Craig

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