Buntings and New World Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Godlewski's Bunting (Emberiza godlewskii) - HBW 16, p. 513

French: Bruant de Godlewski German: Felsenammer Spanish: Escribano de Godlewski
Other common names: Eastern Rock Bunting

Taxonomy: Emberiza godlewskii Taczanowski, 1874, southern Dauria and Kultuk, Mongolia [= southern Lake Baikal, Russia].
Forms a superspecies, and previously treated as conspecific, with E. cia. Recent phylogenetic analysis indicated that, according to cytochrome b tree, interrelationships among present species, E. cia and E. cioides are unresolved. Similarities in plumage to E. capensis, E. striolata and E. tahapisi seem to be result of parallel evolution, rather than close phylogenetic relationship. Proposed races nanshanica, described from C China (R Churmyk, basin of upper Hwang-he, in E Qinghai), and gobica, from WC Mongolia (S slope of Khangai .. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Emberiza godlewskii Taczanowski, 1874, southern Dauria and Kultuk, Mongolia [= southern Lake Baikal, Russia].
Forms a superspecies, and previously treated as conspecific, with E. cia. Recent phylogenetic analysis indicated that, according to cytochrome b tree, interrelationships among present species, E. cia and E. cioides are unresolved. Similarities in plumage to E. capensis, E. striolata and E. tahapisi seem to be result of parallel evolution, rather than close phylogenetic relationship. Proposed races nanshanica, described from C China (R Churmyk, basin of upper Hwang-he, in E Qinghai), and gobica, from WC Mongolia (S slope of Khangai Mts), synonymized with nominate, and, also in C China, styani (from Songpan, in W Sichuan) and bangsi (from Pashui, in Shaanxi) are treated as synonyms of omissa. Five subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • decolorata Sushkin, 1925 - NW China (foothills of S & E Tien Shan, in W Xinjiang); in winter also in valley of upper Syr Darya.
  • godlewskii Taczanowski, 1874 - Russian Altai E through Sayans to S end of L Baikal and W Transbaikalia, Mongolia, and N China (S to N & E Qinghai and Gansu).
  • khamensis Sushkin, 1925 - SC China from S Qinghai S to S & SE Tibetan Plateau (to Lhasa and Gyantse regions) and W Sichuan (to c. 29° N).

     See all 5 subspecies
  • decolorata Sushkin, 1925 - NW China (foothills of S & E Tien Shan, in W Xinjiang); in winter also in valley of upper Syr Darya.
  • godlewskii Taczanowski, 1874 - Russian Altai E through Sayans to S end of L Baikal and W Transbaikalia, Mongolia, and N China (S to N & E Qinghai and Gansu).
  • khamensis Sushkin, 1925 - SC China from S Qinghai S to S & SE Tibetan Plateau (to Lhasa and Gyantse regions) and W Sichuan (to c. 29° N).
  • omissa Rothschild, 1921 - E China from S Heilongjiang S to N & E Sichuan.
  • yunnanensis Sharpe, 1902 - S China in extreme SE Tibetan Plateau and N Yunnan E to C Sichuan; also NE Myanmar in winter.