Emberiza melanocephala

The Black-headed Bunting is classified as Endangered (EN) due to the continued decline in the size of its population and range. Comparison of population size estimates indicates an annual decline rate of 3% over the last two decades, which exceeds 20% in two generations (7.2 years). In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was classified as Vulnerable (VU). The worsening in its threat category reflects the continued decline in its population and the decrease in its range.

Habitats	Mountainous Forest, Parks & Woodlands, Bush & Garrigue
Presence In Israel	Summer Breeder, Migrant
Nesting In Israel	Breeder
Migration Types	Long Range
Zoography Zones	Mediterranean
Landscape Formations	Mountainous, Plains & Valleys
Vegetation Formations	Mediterranean Maquis, Mediterranean Garrigue
Vegetation Densities	Low, Medium
Nest Locations	Tree, Bushes
Diet Types	Invertebrate, Herbivore
Foraging Grounds	Ground, Trees and Shrubs
Body Sizes	Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors	Pesticide Poisoning, Habitat Fragmentation

The Black-headed Bunting is a medium-sized brightly colored bunting with a pleasant trilling song. The male has a black head, a yellow belly and an unstreaked chestnut colored back. The females and immatures are brown-gray and more dull.

The Black-headed Bunting is an extremely rare summer breeder and passage migrant. Its current breeding range is limited almost entirely to the northern Golan Heights and the Mt. Hermon slopes (up to an altitude of 1650 meters), and the number of individuals in these areas has decreased considerably as well. Isolated pairs still nest in the Judean Lowlands, the Bet Netofa Valley and the Eastern Galilee. It was a common summer visitor throughout most of Israel’s Mediterranean region until the 1960s. Since the late 1950s, a declining trend is apparent in its range and population size. The species has disappeared as a breeder in Judea and Samaria, the Carmel and the Western Galilee. The Eastern Galilee and Golan Heights populations have also decreased considerably and become fragmented.

The gradual decline of the Black-headed Bunting has been observed since the 1950s, and apparently is a consequence of the expansion of agricultural areas and afforestation, as well as the use of pesticides in agriculture (Paz 1986, Shirihai 1996). The species has disappeared as a breeder from extensive areas in which it was once common, including virtually the entire Galilee area, the Northern Valleys, Northern Samaria and the Judean Mountains.

The Black-headed Bunting population that nested in central Israel was apparently affected by habitat modification and destruction and by the use of agricultural pesticides. The main areas presently occupied by the species are the northern Golan Heights and the Mt. Hermon slopes. It is threatened in these areas by habitat modification resulting from development, afforestation and agricultural plantations in the northern Golan Heights, roadbuilding, ski run development and other installations on Mt. Hermon.

No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.

The Black-headed Bunting is an endangered migratory species due to the drastic decline in its population size and range. In recent decades, it has receded from most of its breeding areas in Judea, Samaria, and the Galilee, and is presently breeds mainly in the northern Golan Heights and Mt. Hermon. In light of the accelerated development planned in the Golan Heights, key areas in which the species nests densely should be located, and their preservation ensured.

The Black-headed Bunting has been affected mainly by the destruction and fragmentation of shrubland and open woodland areas, as well as by the use of insecticides in agriculture. Quality breeding grounds in the northern Golan Heights, the main present habitat of the species in Israel, should be preserved.

• ישראלי, נ. ופרלמן, י. 2013. סיכום סקר עופות מקננים בחרמון. דו"ח מרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.
• פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
• שוחט, א., פרלמן, י., שני, א., עובדיה, ע., ישראלי, נ., פרלמן, ג. ואלון, ד. 2009. טיבוע ציפורים ארוך טווח בחרמון: תמורות בהרכב החברה ובדינאמיקה של אוכלוסיות.

• Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
• Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
• Species page at Birdlife International