Golden-breasted Bunting
Golden-breasted BuntingGolden-breasted BuntingGolden-breasted BuntingGolden-breasted Bunting

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Masai Mara National Reserve
257 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
6,604 Verified sightings across all 45 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Golden-breasted Bunting

The golden-breasted bunting (Emberiza flaviventris) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It occurs in dry open woodlands and moist savanna in Africa south of the Sahara, but is absent from the equatorial forest belt.

The genus name Emberiza is from Old German Embritz, a bunting. The specific flaviventris is from Latin flavus - "yellow", "golden-yellow"; and venter, ventris - "belly". The origin of the English "bunting" is unknown. There are three subspecies:

Emberiza flaviventris flaviventris, the nominate subspecies, occurs from the Cape to southern South Sudan Emberiza flaviventris flavigaster occurs along a narrow belt across the Sahel, and its range is discontinuous with respect to the other subspecies

Emberiza flaviventris princeps occurs in southern Angola and Namibia. The golden-breasted bunting is 15–16 cm long. The adult male has striking head pattern with a white crown, black lateral crown stripes, white supercilium and black-bordered white ear coverts. The underparts are orange-yellow becoming yellow on the throat and whitish on the lower belly. The upperparts are chestnut with a grey rump... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
LC

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Emberiza tahapisi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
LC

Rüppell's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Yellow-throated Longclaw
LC

Yellow-throated Longclaw

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Macronyx croceus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Grey-backed Fiscal
LC

Grey-backed Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius excubitoroides

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Sooty Chat
LC

Sooty Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myrmecocichla nigra

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
LC

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus africanus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Yellow-fronted Canary
LC

Yellow-fronted Canary

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Crithagra mozambica

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Purple Grenadier

Purple Grenadier

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus ianthinogaster

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~40%
2 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~30%
3 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~30%
4 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
5 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
6 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
7 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
8 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~20%
9 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~20%
10 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
11 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~20%
12 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~10%
13 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
~10%
14 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
15 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
16 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
17 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
18 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
19 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
20 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
21 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
22 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
23 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
<5%
24 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
25 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
26 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
27 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
28 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
29 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
30 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
31 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
32 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
33 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
34 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
36 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
37 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
38 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
39 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
40 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
41 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
42 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
43 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
44 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
45 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Golden-breasted Bunting in Masai Mara National Reserve?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Golden-breasted Bunting sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 257 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Golden-breasted Bunting in Masai Mara National Reserve?

November has the highest sighting rate for Golden-breasted Bunting in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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