summer male

summer male summer female European distribution male singing from reedstem

Identification

In summer the head of the male Reed Bunting is jet black apart from neat white moustachial streaks. This moustached appearance is quite striking in all Reed Buntings, even the females and immatures, which otherwise look heavily streaked - rich brown above and dirty white below.

Habitat

Breeds and winters in reedbeds, upland and lowland marshes and farmland. Visits gardens in winter.

Migration

Northern populations are largely migratory, with Scandinavian birds moving to France, Italy and, in small numbers, Britain. In the rest of Europe, birds are mostly sedentary although they tend to move away from their wetter breeding habitats into farmland or even gardens.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Reed Bunting is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Doxey Marshes, Staffs 25/07/2010	Caerlaverock, Dumf & Gall 20/07/2010	Hardley Flood, Norfolk 18/07/2010	Hardley Flood, Norfolk 18/07/2010	Hardley Flood, Norfolk 18/07/2010
Hauxley, Northumbs 13/07/2010	Dartmoor, Devon 12/07/2010	Hauxley, Northumbs 12/07/2010	Whitacre Heath NR, Warks 08/04/2008	Loch of Lowes, Perth/Kinross 25/06/2010

 View all pictures of Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

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	Crumbs of Comfort for Farmland Birds	Thursday 22nd February 2007
	Research by the RSPB on the food preferences of declining farmland birds proves that food variety is the key to helping these birds in winter.   read on

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