Field Guide
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Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
Not yet photographed by the community
Bright yellow bunting of hedgerows and farmland.
Species Profile
Red List (species of conservation concern due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss)
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 16–17 cm, wingspan 24–29 cm; 24–30 g
- Habitat
- Open farmland, hedgerows, scrubland, and rough ground with scattered bushes and trees.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, though less common in the far north of Scotland. Resident year-round, with numbers boosted by continental migrants in winter.
- Diet
- Seeds and grains from weeds and cereals, supplemented with insects and invertebrates during breeding season.
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, kestrels, and occasionally magpies and jays; ground predators include foxes and stoats.
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch size of 3–5 eggs, incubation period 12–14 days, fledging at 12–13 days. Typically 2–3 broods per season.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial and vocal, with a distinctive song often rendered as 'a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese'. They are largely sedentary within their territories. Often seen perching conspicuously on posts and wires whilst singing.
- •The male's bright yellow head makes him one of the most colourful UK breeding birds, whilst females are much duller and browner.
- •The species' name 'hammer' comes from the Old English word for a stone used in pounding, reflecting its hard seed-cracking diet.
- •Yellowhammer populations have declined by over 60% since the 1990s due to loss of field margins and increased pesticide use.
- •Their song is so distinctive it has inspired numerous regional rhymes and mnemonics across Britain.
- •In winter, they often form small flocks and may visit gardens for seed feeders and spillage from poultry areas.
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