Masked bunting explained

The masked bunting (Emberiza personata) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It is found in Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Japan.

The masked bunting was formerly considered as a subspecies of the black-faced bunting (Emberiza spodocephala) but is now treated as a separate species based on morphological and genetic differences.^{[1] [2]} The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Päckert . M. . Sun . Y.-H. . Strutzenberger . P. . Valchuk . O. . Tietze . T. . Martens . J. . 2015 . Phylogenetic relationships of endemic bunting species (Aves, Passeriformes, Emberizidae, Emberiza koslowi) from the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau . Vertebrate Zoology . 65 . 1 . 135–150 . 10.3897/vz.65.e31516 . free .
2. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . January 2021 . Sylviid babblers, parrotbills, white-eyes . IOC World Bird List Version 12.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . 22 May 2022.