# Yellowhammer (*Emberiza citrinella*) The Yellowhammer is a bright yellow bird with a cheerful song! It loves to sing from trees and bushes, making it a joyful sight in fields and gardens. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Yellowhammer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Emberiza_citrinella_-Midtjylland%252C_Denmark_-male-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ómar Runólfsson, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emberiza_citrinella_-Midtjylland%252C_Denmark_-male-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Yellowhammer is a medium-sized songbird with a striking lemon-yellow head and underparts on males, contrasting with a streaky brown back and reddish-brown rump. Females are similar but duller, with less vibrant yellow, making the male stand out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Emberizidae - **Genus:** Emberiza ## Interesting facts - Their unique song sounds like "A little bit of bread and no cheese!" How neat! - They often gather in large flocks during winter for warmth and safety! - Yellowhammer nests are so well hidden on the ground, they're tricky to spot! - Young Yellowhammers eat mostly insects to help them grow super fast! ## Special abilities - **Seed-Crushing Beak:** Yellowhammer has a strong, conical beak that helps them crack open tough seeds for food. - **Hidden Home Builder:** Yellowhammer can build well-camouflaged nests on the ground, helping them hide eggs from predators. - **Winter Warrior:** Yellowhammer can survive harsh winters by flocking for warmth and finding scattered seeds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15.5-17 cm - **Wingspan:** 23-29 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.036 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-10 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 11-16 days - **Migration Distance:** 500 km ## Diet & Feeding Yellowhammers mostly munch on seeds, especially in winter, but they also gobble up insects in warmer months! - **Age differences:** Chicks eat mostly protein-rich insects to grow quickly, shifting to more seeds as adults. - **Primary Foods:** Cereal seeds, Grass seeds, Caterpillars, Beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Sparrowhawk (*Accipiter nisus*) — hunts adult Yellowhammers - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — predates nests and ground-dwelling Yellowhammers - **Eats:** [Wheat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wheat) (*Triticum aestivum*) — consumes fallen seeds from cereal crops - **Eats:** Small White butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — preys on caterpillars for protein-rich food ## 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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [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 Always watch birds from a distance and don't disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellowhammer? 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 Yellowhammer? 15.5-17 cm ### What is Yellowhammer's wingspan? 23-29 cm ### How much does Yellowhammer weigh? 0.02-0.036 kg ### How long does Yellowhammer live? 2-10 years ### How fast can Yellowhammer move? 50 km/h ### What does Yellowhammer eat? Yellowhammers mostly munch on seeds, especially in winter, but they also gobble up insects in warmer months! ### Where is Yellowhammer usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz – Frankenjura](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/franconian-switzerland-frankenjura-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Naturpark Hüttener Berge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-huttener-berge) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park ## 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: [Yellowhammer: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellowhammer)