# Reed Bunting (*Emberiza schoeniclus*) The Reed Bunting is a small bird that loves to live near wetlands and tall grasses. It has a lovely song and can often be seen perched on reeds, singing to attract a mate. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Reed Bunting](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2014-06-01_Emberiza_schoeniclus%252C_Swallow_Pond%252C_Northumberland_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: MPF, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-06-01_Emberiza_schoeniclus%252C_Swallow_Pond%252C_Northumberland_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Reed Bunting has a streaky brown back and reddish flanks. Breeding males are easily identified by their striking black head and throat, contrasted with a clean white moustachial stripe and collar. Females and winter males are duller with a streaky brown head. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Emberizidae - **Genus:** Emberiza ## Interesting facts - Male Reed Buntings sometimes have two mates at once! - Some Reed Buntings fly all the way to North Africa for winter! - Their nests are so well hidden low in the reeds, they are almost invisible! - They often sing from the very top of a swaying reed, like a tiny conductor! ## Special abilities - **Reed Runner:** Reed Buntings can skillfully navigate dense reedbeds because of their agile bodies that help them find food and shelter. - **Seasonal Style Shift:** Male Reed Buntings have striking plumage changes because of hormones that help them attract mates during breeding season. - **Diet Dynamo:** Reed Buntings can switch their diet because of their versatile beak that helps them eat seeds in winter and insects in summer. - **Winter Wanderer:** Reed Buntings can migrate long distances because of their strong wings that help them escape harsh northern winters. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13.5-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 21-27 cm - **Weight:** 0.013-0.02 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-6 - **Incubation:** 11-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Feasting on seeds and insects, they adapt their menu with the seasons. - **Age differences:** Young birds mainly eat protein-rich insects for growth; adults have a more varied diet. - **Primary Foods:** grass seeds, cereal grains, beetle larvae, spiders, aphids, small caterpillars - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** [Common Reed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-reed) (*Typha latifolia*) — Provides nesting sites and cover from predators. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — Small raptors like sparrowhawks prey on adult buntings. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Domestic cats are opportunistic predators of ground-nesting birds. - **Depends on:** Reed Canary-grass (*Phalaris arundinacea*) — Eats seeds from this grass and uses it for shelter. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Reed Bunting? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Reed Bunting? 13.5-16 cm ### What is Reed Bunting's wingspan? 21-27 cm ### How much does Reed Bunting weigh? 0.013-0.02 kg ### How long does Reed Bunting live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Reed Bunting move? 40 km/h ### What does Reed Bunting eat? Feasting on seeds and insects, they adapt their menu with the seasons. ### Where is Reed Bunting usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Dümmer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dummer-nature-park) — Niedersachsen; Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Grand-Voyeux Regional Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-voyeux-regional-nature-reserve) — Île-de-France, FR · Park - [Brière Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/briere-regional-nature-park) — Pays de la Loire, FR · Park [View all places to see Reed Bunting](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/reed-bunting) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Reed Bunting: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/reed-bunting)