Reed Bunting? And Juvenile? Japan (1 Viewer)

I think the first photo (from Notsuke Hanto in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Reed Bunting. A female?

Is the second photo (same place, same time) a juvenile?

Thanks for help.

Japan's a bit out of my zone. But I get a Pallas's Reed Bunting feel for the second photo. But the culmen is curved and other features don't tally. So I'm thinking you're probably correct with your ID.

ps Are they regular in Japan?

phil baber said:

Japan's a bit out of my zone. But I get a Pallas's Reed Bunting feel for the second photo. But the culmen is curved and other features don't tally. So I'm thinking you're probably correct with your ID.

ps Are they regular in Japan?

Click to expand...

Certainly eastern Reed Buntings look different from the ones we're used to, being generally paler and with larger bills, so I thing we're good with Reed Bunting for this. I agree my first impression was Pallas's-like though apart from the bill

Thanks for the replies. Reed Bunting is fine for the area. It breeds here, and winters in more southerly parts of Japan. I needed to ask because I've never seen this bird (well, a male once in the distance at Cley a couple of years ago when on holiday in Britain). It's fairly common in the right habitat in Japan, so I'm told. But when I've been in 'the right habitat', it's always been, "Well, you can usually find them easily here, but they seem not to be showing today". So, I'm happy. I assume it's a female, as I think the winter male still has a bit of a beard.

Pallas's Reed Bunting is a 'rare winter visitor to western Japan' or 'very rare winter visitor to southern Japan' according to the books.

Thanks again for the identification.