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Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Not yet photographed by the community

Wetland bunting; male has black head and white moustache.

Species Profile

Amber List (formerly Red List; population recovering)

Lifespan: 3–5 years in the wild, occasionally up to 10 years
Size & Weight: 15–16.5 cm, wingspan 21–27 cm; 16–19 g
Habitat: Reed beds, wetland margins, and scrubby areas with dense vegetation near water, particularly reedmace and willow carr.
UK Distribution: Found throughout the UK in suitable habitat; resident year-round, with numbers augmented by continental migrants in winter.
Diet: Primarily seeds from reeds and grasses in winter, switching to insects and spiders during breeding season to feed chicks.
Predators: Sparrowhawks, kestrels, stoats, weasels, and corvids; eggs and chicks vulnerable to magpies and jays.
Mating Season: April to July
Breeding: Clutch of 4–5 eggs, incubation period 10–12 days, fledging at 10–11 days; typically 2 broods per season.
Behaviour: Males are highly territorial and perform distinctive song-flights with rapid calls from prominent reed stems. They are polygynous, with males often maintaining multiple mates. Generally skulking and secretive, remaining low in vegetation.

Did You Know?

•Males have a distinctive black face mask and white moustache stripe during breeding season, which is largely lost in winter plumage.
•The Reed Bunting experienced a severe population decline of over 90% between the 1960s and 1990s due to wetland habitat loss, but numbers have recovered somewhat in recent decades.
•They have a sharp, metallic call note—a distinctive 'tsi-ik'—used year-round to maintain contact and territorial boundaries.
•Reed Buntings are one of the few UK songbirds still commonly shot or trapped illegally in some continental regions during migration.
•In winter, they often form loose flocks and visit gardens and farmland, occasionally appearing at bird feeders, especially during harsh weather.

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