Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Etosha National Park

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%

167 Verified sightings at Etosha National Park From 2019 to 2026
2,395 In all 35 parks
December Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

The cinnamon-breasted bunting (Emberiza tahapisi) or cinnamon-breasted rock-bunting is a species of bird in the family Emberizidae. It is widespread in Africa south of the Sahara. The cinnamon-breasted bunting was formally described in 1836 by the Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith under the current binomial name Emberiza tahapisi. His description was based on specimens found near the source of the Vaal River in South Africa. The specific epithet tahapisi is from the Tswana word "Thagapitse" that is used for various finches in the family Emberizidae.

The species is also known as the cinnamon-breasted rock bunting or African rock bunting. They are small passerines in the genus Emberiza, which consists of other Old World buntings. There have been some discrepancies regarding the relation to other species and subspecies. However, recent mitochondrial analyses of African buntings suggest that the Gosling's bunting (Emberiza goslingi) should be treated as a separate species.... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:17

Saudi Arabia · 2025

© bert de bruin · XC996218 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:57

Oman · 2023

© Peter Boesman · XC781492 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Song0:41

Oman · 2025

© Nicolas Martinez · XC965694 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
2 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
3 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
4 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
5 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
6 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
7 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~10%
8 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
9 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
10 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
11 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
12 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
13 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
14 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
15 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
<5%
16 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
17 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
18 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
19 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
20 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
21 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
22 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
23 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
24 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
25 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
26 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
27 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
28 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
29 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
30 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
31 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
32 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
33 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
34 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
35 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Pretoria 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
2 Harare 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
3 Johannesburg 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting in Etosha National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 167 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 113th most-seen of the 260 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting in Etosha National Park?

December

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting in Etosha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June and July, the lowest months. That is one of Etosha National Park's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against almost none in June.

What time of day is best to see a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cinnamon-breasted Bunting sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Etosha National Park the best place to see a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting?

6th of 35

Of the 35 parks where we can rate Cinnamon-breasted Bunting sightings, Etosha National Park ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe, about 20%), Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa, about 20%) and Ruaha National Park (Tanzania, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting live in Etosha National Park?

Same genus: Emberiza

The closest relatives of the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting that you can see in Etosha National Park (genus Emberiza, Old World Buntings) are Lark-like Bunting (about 20%) and Golden-breasted Bunting (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting is recorded against all the birds logged in Etosha National Park (167 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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