Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Introduction

A scarce migrant, encountered mostly along the east coast of Britain in autumn, when migrating from its Fennoscandian breeding grounds to winter in the west of Africa. Records have become less common because of population declines.

Key Stats

Rare

21.5g

4-5

<1%

BTO Records

2.8k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Yes

Listed on the Annexes of*

WBD(I), Bern(III)

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

1776

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.03%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Ortolan Bunting

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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Ortolan Bunting is a very rare passage migrant, recorded mostly in late August and early September.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Ortolan Bunting movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Ortolan Bunting, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

20x15 mm

Mass (% shell)

2.5g (6%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

5-4 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

3-6 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Female

Typical duration

12-11 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Altricial, downy

Typical duration

13-12 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Biometrics

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Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Ring Size

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Ortolan Bunting

Classification and Codes

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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Emberizidae
Scientific name: Emberiza hortulana
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: OB
BTO 5-letter code: ORTBU
Euring code number: 18660

Alternate species names

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Catalan: hortolà comú
Czech: strnad zahradní
Danish: Hortulan
Dutch: Ortolaan
Estonian: põldtsiitsitaja
Finnish: peltosirkku
French: Bruant ortolan

German: Ortolan
Hungarian: kerti sármány
Icelandic: Dultittlingur
Irish: Gealóg Gharraí
Italian: Ortolano
Latvian: darza sterste
Lithuanian: sodine starta
Norwegian: Hortulan

Polish: ortolan
Portuguese: sombria
Slovak: strnádka záhradná
Slovenian: vrtni strnad
Spanish: Escribano hortelano
Swedish: ortolansparv
Welsh: Bras Gerddi

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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