Corn Bunting vs Meadow Pipit
Emberiza calandra and Anthus pratensis
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandra
Comparison notes
Field marks and practical differences
The Corn Bunting and Meadow Pipit are both common in UK grasslands but differ noticeably in size and shape. The Corn Bunting is larger and bulkier, measuring 18-20 cm with a wingspan up to 36 cm, while the Meadow Pipit is smaller and more slender at 14-15 cm with a wingspan around 25-28 cm. Corn Buntings have a streaked brown appearance but lack the fine streaking on the chest typical of Meadow Pipits. The Corn Bunting’s song is a distinctive jangling series of metallic notes, contrasting with the Meadow Pipit’s thin, high-pitched call often heard during its characteristic song flight. In the field, habitat and behaviour can help avoid confusion. Corn Buntings favour farmland and urban edges, feeding mainly on seeds and fruits, whereas Meadow Pipits prefer upland and wetland areas, feeding primarily on insects. Meadow Pipits also show white flashes on their outer tail feathers in flight, a useful identification feature absent in Corn Buntings. Observing leg colour can assist too, with Meadow Pipits usually having pale pink legs, while Corn Buntings have darker legs.
Size stats
Compare species by wingspan and weight
- Body length
- 18 - 20 cm
- Wingspan
- 32 - 36 cm
- Weight
- 40 - 60 g
- Body length
- 14 - 15 cm
- Wingspan
- 25 - 28 cm
- Weight
- 17 - 25 g
Habitats
Where they live
Diet breakdown
What they eat
- Fruits & seeds70%
- Insects25%
- Other Invertebrates5%
- Insects70%
- Other Invertebrates20%
- Fruits & seeds10%
Species notes
Descriptions and photographer notes
Corn Bunting
Meadow Pipit
The Meadow Pipit is a small, brown bird with streaks, found in open countryside. It is often hard to notice until it flies up from the ground, making a thin, high-pitched call. Its upper parts are olive-brown with dark streaks, while the pale underside has fine dark streaks on the chest. When it flies, the outer tail feathers show white flashes. Its legs are usually pale pink. This bird is often mistaken for other similar birds, but it prefers moorland, grassland, and coastal areas, which helps to identify it. The Meadow Pipit is common across the UK, especially in upland areas and coastal marshes. Some birds move south in winter from northern areas, joined by birds from mainland Europe. It eats insects and small creatures, walking carefully through plants while bobbing its tail. The bird’s song flight, where it descends with wings raised and sings, is a well-known sound of open moorland in spring and summer.