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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CAU" data-source="post: 1383734" data-attributes="member: 55324">Initially I thought that way too. However, I'm now inclined to think that the streaks on the underparts may look broader because of the blurriness of the photo. Compare with Deborah's picture in post #27.Look at the attached comparison photo, at least on my screen the bill colour of the subject bird fits better the Corn Bunting than any of the Reed Buntings, but it's of course debatable.I can see what you mean, but even on Corn Buntings the edges of the tail feathers are paler than the centres. It may easily create an illusion of pale edges to the tail in such blurry photos, especially as sharpening algorithms on digital cameras usually exaggerate such details.Here we probably just have to disagree. To me the bird looks chesty and front heavy, being in a typical pose for Corn Bunting. The bill looks large and the eye small.Compare to this one:<a href="http://www.tarsiger.com/images/pepe/embcal_esp_250407_DSC_0425.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.tarsiger.com/images/pepe/embcal_esp_250407_DSC_0425.jpg</a>A juvenal plumage Corn Bunting would surely look untypical, but a January passerine should not be in juvenal plumage anymore. Anyway, compare the crown stripe to the Corn Bunting (which is not in juvenal plumage) in the attached comparison photo. Also compare the bill size with the three different Reed Buntings. Note that the Corn Bunting has a large bill and small eyes, and that the Reed Buntings have small bills and large eyes. The subject bird seems to fit Corn Bunting very well in this regard.I first stated that Reed Bunting sounds like the best alternative, and then changed my mind, so my statements have definitely not been completely right even in this thread (nevermind some other threads)...</blockquote>

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