Search Help

Buntings and New World Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) - HBW 16, p. 514

French: Bruant à longue queue German: Wiesenammer Spanish: Escribano de Brandt
Other common names: Siberian Meadow Bunting, Long-tailed/Red-eared Bunting; Japanese Meadow Bunting (ciopsis)

Taxonomy: Emberiza cioides J. F. Brandt, 1843, Siberia.
Japanese race ciopsis differs quite strongly from others both in head colour and in vocalizations, and could be worthy of species status; further study needed. Geographical variation somewhat clinal, involving size and colour saturation: other proposed races include shiretokoensis (described from E Hokkaido, in N Japan), synonymized with ciopsis; in SE Russia, ussuriensis (from Ussuri) and vagans (from mouth of Sidemi, in Amur Bay and mid-Ussuri), both subsumed in weigoldi; and, in China, tangutorum (from near Xining, in W Qinghai), treated as s.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Emberiza cioides J. F. Brandt, 1843, Siberia.
Japanese race ciopsis differs quite strongly from others both in head colour and in vocalizations, and could be worthy of species status; further study needed. Geographical variation somewhat clinal, involving size and colour saturation: other proposed races include shiretokoensis (described from E Hokkaido, in N Japan), synonymized with ciopsis; in SE Russia, ussuriensis (from Ussuri) and vagans (from mouth of Sidemi, in Amur Bay and mid-Ussuri), both subsumed in weigoldi; and, in China, tangutorum (from near Xining, in W Qinghai), treated as synonym of nominate. Five subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • tarbagataica Sushkin, 1925 - NW China from SW Altai S to C & E Tien Shan (in N Xinjiang).
  • cioides J. F. Brandt, 1843 - SC Siberia from E Altai E to Mongolia and adjacent Transbaikalia (Buryatia) in EC Russia.
  • weigoldi Jacobi, 1923 - E of Transbaikalia in SE Russia (Amurland and Ussuriland), S to NE China (S to Hebei) and N Korea.

     See all 5 subspecies
  • tarbagataica Sushkin, 1925 - NW China from SW Altai S to C & E Tien Shan (in N Xinjiang).
  • cioides J. F. Brandt, 1843 - SC Siberia from E Altai E to Mongolia and adjacent Transbaikalia (Buryatia) in EC Russia.
  • weigoldi Jacobi, 1923 - E of Transbaikalia in SE Russia (Amurland and Ussuriland), S to NE China (S to Hebei) and N Korea.
  • castaneiceps F. Moore, 1856 - E China (S of Hebei) and S Korea.
  • ciopsis Bonaparte, 1850 - S Sakhalin I and Kuril Is S through Japanese islands to Yakushima (S of Kyushu).
About us | Contact us | FAQ