Uncommon resident.

Since 1970 Corn Buntings have declined in Britain by 90% as a result of the lack of winter stubble fields, autumn-sown Barley and use of pesticides.

They were reported from Stevenage in 1908, and Foster (1914) described them as, “common in the Stevenage district”.

The records from the 1960s and 1970s are: present during the 1961 breeding season at Aston; six singing males recorded from a field adjacent to Box Wood during the 1964 breeding season; seven at Mobbsbury Farm on 25 October 1965; one singing at Box Wood on 17 May 1966; one at Chesfield 15 April 1967; seen at the Hertford Road on 21 and 28 May 1967; seen along the Stevenage to Walkern Road 1 June 1967; two at Astonbury on 15 April 1970; seen at Box Wood on 13 February 1970; recorded from Astonbury, Aston End and Box Wood in 1973; recorded from Aston End, Brookfield Lane (Aston) and, Hertford Road 1973; three seen along the Hertford Road in 1975; 50 seen coming into roost at Aston End on 6 January 1977 in a mixed flock of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings.

During the 1980s and 1990s the records are: near Aston 1980; singing males all summer between Bragbury End and Datchworth in 1981; four at Aston June 1981; seen in Blenheim Way in June 1981; six at Aston on 13 July 1986; recorded from Bragbury End In 1987; one at Norton Green Tip on 22 April 1991.

Between 2000 and 2019 the records are: 11 at Norton Green Tip on 17 June 2008; two calling and displaying in fields near New Park Lane, Aston between 24 June and, 20 July 2014; one at Potters Spring on 21 July 2014; one at Potters Spring on 6 June 2015; one heard east of Chells Manor on 19 June 2015; two at Potters Spring on 9 April 2016; one at Potters Spring on 16 July 2016; up to two birds at Potters Spring on various dates from April to July 2017; one at Norton Green Tip on 13 May 2018; four at Potters Spring on 1 June 2018.

The latest records are: one at Norton Green Tip on 1 and 6 May 2020; one at Aston End between 26 May and, 24 June 2020; one at Potters Spring on 31 May 2020; two at Aston End on 11 July 2020; one near Norton Green on 15 April 2021; two at Potters Spring on 19 June 2021; three plus near Potters Spring on 27 May 2021; two plus near Potters Spring on 20 June 2022; one at Potters Spring on 3 July 2022; c.5 Watton Road, Bragbury End on 31 January 2023; two at Potters Spring on 27 June 2023; one at Potters Spring on 1 and 8 April 2024 and two there on 14 April 2024.   

The 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from one of Stevenage’s tetrads, the 1992 Breeding Atlas from three but, from none in the 2012 Atlas. 

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from the tetrad covering Stevenage Old Town.