China (mainland), Japan, Russia (Asian), South Korea, USA.
Breeds eastern Russia (southern Kamchatka), Kuril Is, Sakhalin I and Japan (Hokkaido south to central Honshu). Winters mainly in southern half of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Ryukyu Is (south to Okinawa).
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Grey Bunting (Emberiza variabilis) [XC809030]
by id from Paratunka, Yelizovsky District, Kamchatka Krai, Russian Federation (?)
Grey Bunting (Emberiza variabilis) [XC489518]
by Vadim Ivushkin from Ust-Bolsheretsky District, Kamchatka Krai, Russian Federation (song)
Subspecies
Sometimes placed in a separate genus, Ocyris. Recent phylogenetic study suggests that this species may be sister to Tristram's Bunting (Emberiza tristrami) and Yellow-browed Bunting (Emberiza chrysophrys). Birds from Kamchatka sometimes separated as subspecies musica.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
variabilis Temminck, 1836 - Southern Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Kuril Is. and northern Japan; > to Ryukyu Is.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet