Ortolan Bunting
CR

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortolan_bunting

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Ortolan Bunting faces severe population declines across its range due to intensive agricultural practices that have eliminated traditional farming landscapes and reduced insect prey availability. Illegal hunting and trapping for culinary purposes, particularly in Mediterranean countries, continues to impact populations despite legal protections. Climate change is altering breeding and wintering habitats, while habitat fragmentation has isolated remaining populations.

Threat summary

Habitat

Open agricultural landscapes with scattered trees and bushes, including traditional farmland mosaics, grasslands, and scrubland areas typically between 200-2000m elevation. The species prefers areas with low-intensity farming practices that maintain hedgerows, field margins, and diverse vegetation structure.

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Emberizidae

YellowhammerVU

Yellowhammer

Emberiza citrinella

Unknown
Little BuntingVU

Little Bunting

Emberiza pusilla

Unknown
Reed BuntingEN

Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Unknown
Rustic BuntingVU

Rustic Bunting

Emberiza rustica

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ortolan Bunting classified as Critically Endangered?
Ortolan Bunting is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Ortolan Bunting faces severe population declines across its range due to intensive agricultural practices that have eliminated traditional farming landscapes and reduced insect prey availability. Illegal hunting and trapping for culinary purposes, particularly in Mediterranean countries, continues to impact populations despite legal protections. Climate change is altering breeding and wintering habitats, while habitat fragmentation has isolated remaining populations.
Where does Ortolan Bunting live?
Ortolan Bunting occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Ortolan Bunting?
The main threats to Ortolan Bunting are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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