Chestnut Bunting
Emberiza rutila Pallas, 1776 (0, 1)
Photo © Phil Woollen - Papa Westray, Orkney, 26 October 2015
STATUS
Southern central, south-east Russia, Mongolia and north-east China. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
A number of earlier records were placed in Category E due to it being a common import for the captive bird trade. However, with a ban on importation during 2005-07, and this individual being in its first-calendar-year, found in the northern isles, it was considered a natural vagrant.
It is known as a long-distance migrant from the Eastern Palearctic to Europe, with a number of accepted records there.
BBRC RECORD
1). 2015 Orkney Papa Westray, 1CY, male, 19th to 29th October, photo.
(British Birds 108: plate 436; J. Branscombe, Scottish Birds 36: 52-55, plates 62-64; BOURC (2017), Ibis 159: 926; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 626, plate 349; J. Branscombe, British Birds 111: 157-163, plates 105-109).
