Description:

Fairly large bunting, with proportionately short wing and long tail. Male has grey head and breast, with black head markings. Rump and rest of underparts are rufous. Female is dull version of male, with less pronounced head pattern. Juvenile is warm buff, heavily streaked, rufous tinge to rump and belly.

Distribution:

Common summer visitor all across Gilgit-Baltistan, except for Kharmang and Ghanche districts. Prefers rocky mountain and hill slopes, usually with bushes and scattered trees, juniper forest, open pine forest and cultivation edge up to 4000m.

Behavior:

Forages mainly on ground, in rocky areas or along scrubby vegetation, also in low herbs and grass in fields and similar places. Usually in pairs or small parties post breeding. Outside breeding season feeds mainly on seeds of herbs and other plants, and during breeding period mostly on invertebrates.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Rock Bunting in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Rock Bunting

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.