Latin name

Emberiza schoeniclus

Family

(Emberizidae)

Overview

Sparrow-sized but slim and with a long, deeply notched tail, the male has a black head, white collar and a drooping moustache. Females and winter males have a streaked head. In flight the tail looks black with broad, white edges. This farmland and wetland bird suffered a serious population decline making it a Red List species.

Where to see them

Typically found in wet vegetation but has recently spread into farmland and, in winter, into gardens. When singing the male usually perched on top of a bush, or reed.

When to see them

All year round.

What they eat

Seeds and insects

This text was provided with kind permission from the RSPB www.rspb.org.uk