Description
The holotype of the Long-legged Bunting is a partial skeleton. Seven other associated skeletons were found. The bones are held at the University of La Laguna, in Tenerife, Spain. This species was distinguishable from other buntings as it was larger than existing Emberiza species and had longer legs, shorter wings, and a differently-shaped bill. These features indicate that the Long-legged Bunting was a ground dweller and likely flightless. This makes it one of the few known flightless Passerines known, the others being the Stephens Island Wren (Xenicus lyalli) and the Long-billed Wren (Dendroscansor decurvirostris). Both of these wrens are extinct. This bunting probably was omnivorous, like the other species in its genus. It likely ate seeds and invertebrates. However, because of its differently-shaped bill, harder seeds could have been included in its diet.
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