18 May 2024

Rustic Bunting breeds in swamp forests in the northern Palearctic boreal region. It is a long-distance migrant with Fennoscandian birds overwintering in eastern Asia. There has been a strong range-wide population decline in RB and it has been classified as globally threatened. In recent years there are hopeful signs of a stabilization in population numbers, at least locally. 

Rustic Bunting is one of my favourite birds, and I have spent many hours searching them home and abroad. The best time to find them is in May upon arrival when they are most actively singing. One should preferrably listen in the early morning hours, even before sunrise. I compiled a sequel of sound clips recorded during the same morning in an attempt to capture the Rustic Bunting soundscape.

Clip #1 Setting the scene. Early morning hour and still pretty dark and damp in the swamp forest. Mics placed as tree ears close to a calmly floating creek. RB has been singing since sunrise and is now joined by Eurasian Siskin, Song and Mistle Thrush and Cuckoo. #2 Closing in, thirty minutes later. The singing choir has multiplied, and one can now also hear Redwing, Willow Warbler, Black Woodpecker, Brambling and Common Redstart. #3 Close range. The singing RB male exposes its rusty coloured breast, perched high in a birch with a displaying Wood Sandpiper in the background. Stereo-mounted mics in a parabolic dish.

Botsmark, Umeå commune, Västerbotten County (64.26 N, 20.14 E)

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Rustic Bunting – the gem of boreal swamp forests

𝔈𝔵𝔭𝔩𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔯, 𝔞𝔰 𝔞𝔫 𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔱, 𝔞 𝔐𝔬𝔡𝔢, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔇𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔅𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤.

nature field recordist
curator at earth.fm
sound designer

Rustic Bunting – the gem of boreal swamp forests

Lars Edenius