Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cirlus
- Family
- Old World Buntings (Emberizidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The cirl bunting ( SURL) (Emberiza cirlus) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.
It breeds across southern Europe, on the Mediterranean islands and in north Africa. It is a resident of these warmer areas, and does not migrate in winter. It is common in all sorts of open areas with some scrub or trees, but has a preference for sunny slopes.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Northwestern Africa (Morocco eastward to northwestern Tunisia); southwestern England (formerly also Wales); southern Europe from the Iberian Peninsula and France eastward to Romania and western and northern Türkiye, also the Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and Crete; introduced New Zealand.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Cirl bunting
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
