All species
resident
Amber-listed

Buntings

Reed Bunting

A slim bunting of wetlands and reedbeds. In spring the male shows a striking black head with a white collar; females are streaky brown with a pale eyestripe.

Emberiza schoeniclus

Wetlands Reedbeds Streams Lakes Farmland
Size
13-14.5 cm
Wingspan
19-24 cm
Weight
15-24 g
Lifespan
2-3 years

Diet

Seeds, insects and small invertebrates; often visits garden feeders in winter.

Song & Call

A simple, repetitive 'tsip-tsip-tsip' followed by a short, rattling trill.

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Recording by Tommy Andriollo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify

  • Black head and white collar on males
  • Streaked brown back
  • Pale eye-stripe
  • Slender bunting bill

Conservation

Amber-listed

Amber-listed; thrives in healthy reedbeds and wet farmland ditches.