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[[Image:Reed_Bunting.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Richard+Ford|Richard Ford}}<br />Male]]
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[[Image:Reed_Bunting.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by Richard Ford <br/> male]]
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'''Alternative name: Common Reed Bunting'''
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;[[:Category:Emberiza|Emberiza]] schoeniclus
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[[Image:reedbunting_female.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo by postcardcv<br />female]]
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==Identification==
==Identification==
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13.5-15.5 cm. Black head and throat, white neck collar and underparts, heavily streaked brown back, deeply notched tail. The female is much duller, with a streaked brown head, and is more streaked below.
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13.5-15.5 cm<br />
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'''Breeding Male'''
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Black head and throat, white neck collar and underparts, heavily streaked brown back, deeply notched tail with white edges.<br />
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In '''winter''' the black is obscured by rufous-buff edging.<br />
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The '''female''' and ''immature''' are much duller, though still heavily streaked, lacking the black head and white collar. A buff supercilium.<br />
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Legs reddish brown to black. Bill is dark and in most populations is small.
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====Similar species====
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[[Pallas's Bunting]] from eastern [[Siberia]] looks similar. However it's smaller, longer-tailed, the plumage is generally paler and it has a pale rump.
==Distribution==
==Distribution==
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[[Europe]]
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[[Europe]] and northern [[Asia]].
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==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
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There are 19 subspecies.
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[[Image:reedbunting_female.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|postcardcv|postcardcv}}<br />Female]]
==Habitat==
==Habitat==
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Reedbeds and marshland.
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'''Breeds''' in almost any kind of marshy place: reedbeds, river banks etc but in '''winter''' will be found on farmland, particularly stubble fields.
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==Behaviour==
==Behaviour==
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Forms mixed flocks in winter with other buntings and finches.
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====Flight====
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Erratic bursts of wing-beats.
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====Diet====
Its diet includes seeds and insects when feeding young.
Its diet includes seeds and insects when feeding young.
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====Breeding====
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It makes its nest in a bush or reed tussock and 4-7 eggs are laid.
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[[Image:Reed Bunting21.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|targetman|targetman}}<br />[[Lincolnshire]] [[UK]] June 2008 ]]
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==Bird Song==
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They lay 4-7 eggs in a nest which is built in a bush or reeds
''[[Media:Emberiza schoeniclus (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
''[[Media:Emberiza schoeniclus (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
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==References==
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#Wikipedia
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#Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
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#Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
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#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
==External Links==
==External Links==
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*[http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php/cat/all/si/reed%20bunting/page/2/sort/4/perpage/12/what/allfields View more images of Reed Bunting in the gallery]
13.5-15.5 cm Breeding Male
Black head and throat, white neck collar and underparts, heavily streaked brown back, deeply notched tail with white edges.
In winter the black is obscured by rufous-buff edging.
The female' and immature are much duller, though still heavily streaked, lacking the black head and white collar. A buff supercilium.
Legs reddish brown to black. Bill is dark and in most populations is small.
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