Birders Spot Rare Rustic Bunting in NCR for First Time

Key facts

• Rustic bunting (Emberiza rustica) spotted at Najafgarh Jheel on Delhi-Gurugram border.
• First time the passerine bird recorded in national capital region (NCR).
• Rustic bunting breeds across northern Palearctic regions in wet coniferous woodlands.
• Migrates to southeast Asia and parts of East Asia including Japan, Korea, and eastern China during winter.
• Handful of records across India predominantly in northeast and Himalayan belt.
• 2025 IUCN Red List reclassifies rustic bunting from vulnerable to near threatened.