Agricultural Lands as Important Wintering Habitats for the Critically Endangered Yellow-Breasted Bunting in Nepal

Abstract

Agricultural intensification is considered detrimental to many bird species in Europe and North America; however, little is known about how birds use these landscapes in South Asia, including in Nepal, where agricultural lands remain less intensified and more heterogeneous. Compared to resident species, research on migratory land bird species is notably limited. This includes the Critically Endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting (Emberiza aureola), once abundant but now on the brink of extinction due to illegal trapping and trade, particularly along its migratory routes and wintering sites. We studied the wintering distribution sites, population, and fine-scale habitat use of the Yellow-breasted Bunting across Nepal to support their population recovery and guide habitat conservation efforts. Between 2015 and 2023, we documented 85 presence records of Yellow-breasted Buntings in 22 districts, with most sightings occurring outside protected areas and in agricultural lands. The population count for 2022/2023 was 2120—a roughly 43% increase from the previous year. Fine-scale habitat data showed that most sightings were in agricultural lands (79%), followed by grasslands (14%), with fewer records occurring in wetlands (7%). Yellow-breasted Buntings feed in a range of farmland conditions, including standing crops and fallow fields, and roost mainly in agricultural areas dominated by sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) or in grasses such as Saccharum spontaneum and Phragmites karka found in grassland and wetland habitats. Our model identified the combination of crop cover and grass height as the strongest predictor of Yellow-breasted Bunting abundance. Our study highlights the conservation potential of agricultural lands for highly threatened species and emphasizes the importance of effective habitat management and farmer engagement.

Keywords

crop / farmland / grassland / migratory bird / sugarcane / trapping / wetland

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2025 The Author(s). Integrative Conservation published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG).