Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclu

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

14 cm (5-6") Rare. Spring vagrant to northeastern Alaska from Asia.

Male: black head, throat and breast, white nape, grayish black streaked back and wings, white belly and sides, white outer tail feathers. Often fans and flicks tail. Bill is larger than Pallas' Reed-Bunting's.

Female: plain grayish-buff rump, buffy brown ear patch, broad light eyebrow stripe. Resembles lighter brownish female Pallas'Reed-Bunting but has larger bill.

Song: series of double notes "tsi-tsi tsi-tsi tsi-tsi"; distinctive "pee-see-oo" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

5 photos

Male - Russia, Moscow region, Latyshskaya - April 7, 2008

Credit: Sergey Yeliseev

Male - Reed Bunting at Summerleys Nature Reserve, Northants - April 5, 2007

Credit: Michael Brace

Credit: Milo Bostock

Credit: Richard Towell

Female - Belarus, Brest region, Sporovskoe lake - July 20, 2008

Credit: Sergey Yeliseev

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Reed Bunting singing

Credit: E Bax

Reed Bunting

Credit: Richard Claxton

Bird Advisor Identification rules 3 variants 3 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Reed Bunting (Female)

1 rule

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the WINGS ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Short · Medium · Long
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · None · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:214-reed-bunting-female:1:1 Source: 214 Reed Bunting (Female), row 1

Reed Bunting (Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the WINGS ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Short · Medium · Long
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · None · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:212-reed-bunting-male:1:1 Source: 212 Reed Bunting (Male), row 1

Reed Bunting (Nonbreeding Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 17 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the WINGS ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Short · Medium · Long
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · None · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:213-reed-bunting-nonbreeding-male:1:1 Source: 213 Reed Bunting (Nonbreeding Male), row 1