From Opus

Male
Photo by Mahsleb
Minsmere, England, March 2009

Alternative names: Bearded Reedling; Bearded Tit; Whiskered Tit; Bearded Tit-Babbler; Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

[edit] Identification

Length: 16.5cm (6.5in).
Male has a blue grey head, yellow eye, yellow bill, black drooping moustache, creamy brown back, long tail.
Female lacks moustache and blue grey head.

[edit] Distribution

Female
Photo by michha62
Cley, Norfolk, England, February, 2009

Very random range in Europe, much more prevalent further east in Asia.

In the Western Palearctic breeds in Britain and irregularly distributed at coastal sites from western France to Denmark, more widespread in Germany, including some inland areas and east to Poland and the Baltic States. Further south breeds in parts of central Spain and the Mediterranean coasts of Spain and France and the north Adriatic coast of Italy. More common and widespread in the east in Hungary and Romania, parts of Greece and central Turkey, and in the far east in the Volga Delta.

In Britain breeds in southern and eastern England, two main localities in northern England and also at one site in Scotland.

Most populations are basically sedentary but undergo irruptive movements when birds disperse to other reedbeds. Some may return in spring to original site others form the basis of a new colony.

Winter range is similar to but usually rather more extensive than breeding range.

Vagrants recorded in Morocco, Algeria and Syria.

[edit] Taxonomy

Juvenile
Photo by scottishdude
Minsmere, England, May 2009

Not a true tit, therefore the international name Bearded Parrotbill. Placed here with the parrotbills which are itself sometimes placed within the babblers. New research however have shown that this species is a sister group to the larks and is maybe better placed in its own family, Panuridae.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

Nominate biarmicus is found over most of Europe and the very similar but slightly paler russicus occurs from Austria to southern Russia and Turkey.

The darker and more rufous kosswigi from Amik Golu in southern Turkey is probably now extinct.

[edit] Habitat

The main habitat is large reedbeds on fresh or brackish water, sometimes with scattered trees and bushes.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Flight

Lives in reedbeds, where its flight is low, slow and weak with whirring wingbeats.

[edit] Diet

Feeds on spiders, insects, caterpillars and also seeds from the reed beds for part of the year.

[edit] Breeding

Builds a cup nest of dead leaves and other marsh plants, often producing 3 or 4 broods a year.

[edit] Vocalisation

Voice is a loud pinging - very distinctive.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Birdcheck

• List of references

[edit] External Links