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CORN BUNTING
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
CORN BUNTING (MILIARIA CALANDRA)
The prolonged song of the male corn bunting, resembling nothing so much as the jangling of a bunch of keys, was once a far more familiar sound. This bird, is a fairly plain brown coloured bird, easily overlooked when compared to its more colourful relatives. The song is delivered from a perch, sometimes quite close to the ground. In short flights, corn buntings tend to fly with their legs hanging down, a feature that can help with identification in the field.
Although common in southern Europe, the corn bunting is declining throughout its northern range.
Male corn buntings have a colourful sex life, and individuals have been known to mate with as many as 18 different females in a single breeding season. The male plays no part in incubating the eggs but does sometimes help with feeding the young. Three to five eggs are laid between late May and July, in a nest of dried grass built by the female in arable crops or rough grassy margins. The young are fed on insects, and the birds may produce two broods in the season, although one is more usual. Whilst adult corn buntings are primarily seedeaters, like many other seed-eating birds, they feed their young on invertebrates. They take weed seeds, as well as cereal.
The corn bunting has probably declined due to changes in farming practices, especially the reduction in mixed farming. Extensive use of pesticides has reduced the numbers of arable weed species, an important food source for the adults, and insects, vital for rearing chicks. The switch from spring to autumn-sown cereals and consequent loss of weeds and stubbles, is probably a vital cause of the population drop, as it has led to the loss of both nesting and feeding habitats.
The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. |
jconceicao, thor68, zetu, nglen, nasokoun has marked this note useful
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Hello Marius,
Excellent capture of Corn Bunting.
Light,focus and definition are spendid.
Good note.
This year i have took many photo of this specie.
- thor68
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 794 W: 138 N: 1312]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(5642) - [2009-07-02 13:14]
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superb capture of the nice corn bunting! :-) everything is perfect - sharpness, details, light, colors, composition,
blurred background,...like a photo for a birdbook. wonderful job & take care, thor.
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- joska
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 0 N: 912]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(5058) - [2009-07-02 20:00]
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Buna, lucrezi foarte frumos cu aparatul tau!
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- zetu
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 15 N: 1561]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(6085) - [2009-07-03 1:40]
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Faina, cred ca am mai vazut poza asta...
Numai bine.
Razvan
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- nglen
(31692)
- [2009-07-03 12:22]
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Hi Marius. You have taken a first class close up of this CORN BUNTING . Which you have taken with fine detail and sharp focusing. Your use of the light has given natural looking colours. I like the mixture of green in the BG. well done TFS.
Nick..
hello Marius
beautiful with natural colours composition,good light that stresses the very good details,very fine capture
TFS thanks for sharing
Nasos
