Recent range expansion of the House Bunting (Emberiza sahari sahari) in Algeria and prospects for future expansion

The availability of trophic resources and climate change are two factors that affect the expansion of a species' distribution range. The distribution of the House Bunting (Emberiza sahari sahari) was previously limited to the desert and sub-desert areas of North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia). However, the species was recently recorded at several new localities in north-western Algeria, including Tlemcen (Maghnia, Beni Bahdel, and Sebdou), Aïn Témouchent (Aïn Témouchent city and Rechgoun), Oran and Saïda city, Sidi Bel Abbès (Oued Sefioun and Marhoum), Tiaret (Kef Esbaa at Oued Lili, Mecheraa Sfa, Ksar Chellala, Beni Hamad at Serguine, Djbel Goudjila at Mahdia, and Zmalet El Emir Abdelkader), Bordj Bounaama at Tissemsilt, between Relizane and Chlef (El Hamadna and Oued Rhiou), and the El-Aissaouia city in Medea (central Algeria). While the presence of the species has been confirmed in its original hot-arid range, recent expansions are likely driven by climate change and variations in food availability. These shifts are probably linked to the species' nutritional needs, as it finds more stable food resources and foraging opportunities in northern habitats, where the climate is semi-arid to humid. Forecasts suggest that future expansion may occur in the north-eastern regions of Algeria, including Oum El Bouaghi, Souk Ahras, Constantine, Guelma, and Mila, as well as in coastal areas to the west, such as Mostaganem and Tipaza. Keywords: Climate change; Emberiza sahari; new location; range expansion