General

Gray Bunting: Medium sized, dark gray bunting with black streaks on back, shoulders, and underparts. Undertail coverts are white. Female has brown upperparts, brown-streaked paler underparts, and chestnut-brown rump. Immature male resembles female but has some gray on head, and is gray below. Rare visitor to Alaska.

Range and Habitat

Gray Bunting: Native of Asia; rare visitor to western Aleutians. Preferred habitats include thickets in coniferous and mixed forests in hills and mountains.

Breeding and Nesting

Gray Bunting: Five white eggs spotted with red gray are laid in a nest made of grass and moss, and lined with finer grass, rootlets, and hair. Incubation ranges from 11 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Gray Bunting: Eats primarily seeds but takes some berries and insects, especially in summer months; forages in trees, bushes, and on the ground.

Readily Eats

Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit

Vocalization

Gray Bunting: Song is a loud, flutelike "houee-tseewee-tseewee." Call is an abrasive "zhiik."

Similar Species

Gray Bunting: Little Bunting has gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, and brown patches on head.