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26 June 2024

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting – Bahah

The Cinnamon-breasted Bunting is a very common breeding resident, occurring in the foothills and mountains south from Taif, particularly on the western escarpment. They are an altitudinal migrant that breeds above 500 metres to 3000 metres and moves to lower altitudes after breeding has finished even being found in dry acacia scrub in the Tihamah. They are mainly seen on rocky hillsides with open, bare ground scattered with trees, bushes and grassy tussocks. At higher altitudes it occurs in cultivated fields and rough scrub adjacent to rocky areas and occasionally in junipers. The subspecies F. t. arabica, is endemic to Arabia occurring only in southwestern Saudi Arabia, western Yemen and western Oman (Dhofar). The bird below was collecting nesting material as can be seen from the photos.