Family: Emberizidae
An adult corn bunting.Its characteristic beak shape can be seen, selected to open seeds.
Medium-sized bird, about 18cm in length and visibly larger than a sparrow. Its plumage is mostly brown, with a white underside and stripes across the chest. On the base of the beak, two white, whisker-like patterns can be seen.
Its beak is much like other buntings’: large and thick, built to consume seeds. While closed, the bottom half appears larger than the top half, with an oblique split. While open, its spiky teeth-like protrusions (four in total: two on each side, one on the top half and one on the bottom half) can be seen. These are used to break open hard shells.
It’s extant across central and southern Europe, parts of Africa’s north coast and some regions of warm Asia. In the Iberian Peninsula, barring some regions on the north, it’s abundant and present throughout the whole year.
Its song is very distinctive and a highlight sound of spring wherever this bird is present. It’s a trill reminiscent of a motor starting up: it begins at a slow pace and then speeds up, ending with a sort of metallic shriek. It’s easy to hear during mating season from high places where this bird perches.