Rustic Bunting:
Birders recently spotted a rare species, the rustic bunting (emberiza rustica) at Najafgarh Jheel on the Delhi-Gurugram border, marking the first time the passerine bird, which is also elusive across India, was spotted in the national capital region (NCR).
- It is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae.
- Scientific Name: Emberiza rustica
- Its breeding range extends from the Nordic regions to eastern Siberia.
- It migrates to southeast Asia and parts of East Asia, including Japan, Korea, and eastern China, during the winter months.
- There are only a handful of records of it being seen across India – predominantly in the northeast and across the Himalayan belt.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
