Cirl Bunting
Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Rare bird: +8 points when you log it.
Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Sunny mixed farmland.
Diet: Seeds, insects.
Best time to spot: UK stronghold in Devon.
When to look
Scarce or local in the UK. Timing varies by region, so check recent sightings before you travel. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.
How rare is it?
The Cirl Bunting sits in our Rare tier for the UK: scarce or very local, so most birders need a planned trip. It is Red-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the highest level of concern in the UK. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.
Recent UK sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- YellowhammerCommon · Hedged farmland
- Ortolan BuntingEpic · Open farmland
- Little BuntingRare · Coastal scrub (autumn passage)
- Rustic BuntingRare · Coastal scrub (very rare)
- Corn BuntingUncommon · Cereal fields
- Reed BuntingCommon · Reedbeds
Kit that helps
Best binoculars for UK birding. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.
Log a Cirl Bunting in your free UK Birdedex