Male in breeding plumage
One of my favourite birds, the Reed Bunting, can easily be mistaken for a House Sparrow. Personally, I have one of those double take moments where you realise that the plumage is more streaked, colourful and distinctive. Then you pick out a male with its black head and bib, its white neck ring and that pale stripe that slopes down from the beak. The female is less striking but still sports the same light-coloured little moustache.
Female in summer
Just to confuse us even more, the male’s black head becomes paler in winter. This change to a non-breeding plumage is brought on by hormonal changes in the bird triggered by seasonal alterations in weather and day-length.
You can find them around Loch Lomond or by the Clyde and, as the name suggests, they are normally inhabit reed beds or marshy ground. However, as it gets colder, the Reed Buntings will venture into gardens and even onto bird tables. The picture of the male in winter plumage, perched on some barbed wire, was taken in a field below the Vale Cemetery, Alexandria.
Male in winter plumage
Unlike the House Sparrow, which declined in numbers after the 70’s by about 90%, the Reed Buntings have made a bit of a come back. They’re now on the amber list of endangered birds rather than on the red.
They have a reputation for putting on a bit of an act at times, especially if a predator comes too near their nest. Like plovers and even snowy owls, they employ an interesting distraction method, feigning injury in an attempt to lure any threat away.
They were named ‘bird of the year 2009’ in Spain. Down to only 400 pairs over there, their habitat’s had been shrinking due to global increases in temperatures. I also read a news report from Spain that told of a great hail storm destroying nests and even killing some adult birds. The poor wee things don’t seem to have much luck over there but with about 200,000 birds here in the UK, we need to appreciate and perhaps even celebrate this striking little bird.