Bird Guide

Cirl Bunting vs Common Reed Bunting

Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)

Cirl Bunting

Emberiza cirlus

Small26 gShrubland

The cirl bunting is like a small yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella), and is around 15.5 cm (6.1 in) in length with a wing-span 22–25.5 cm (8.7–10.0 in). It has a thick seed-eater's bill. The male has a bright yellow head, with a black crown, eyestripe and throat, and a greenish breast band across its otherwise yellow underparts, and a heavily streaked brown back. The female is much more like the yellowhammer, but has a streaked grey-brown rump and chestnut shoulders. The monotonous song of the male is a rattling trill, like the Arctic warbler or the terminal rattle of the lesser whitethroat.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Cirl Bunting
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Alarm call · Cabane Vauban (Carolles), Manche, Normandie, France · CC0
Photo: Hugo Caillon · CC BY 4.0
Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Small18 gWetland

The common reed bunting is a medium-sized bird, 13.5–15.5 cm (5.3–6.1 in) long and weighing 10–28 g, with a small but powerful seed-eating bill. The male has a black head and throat, white neck collar and underparts, and a heavily barred brown back. The female is much duller, with a streaked brown head, and more barring underneath. The male's song is a repetitive srip.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Common Reed Bunting
Recorded by Kevin Guille · Song · Birky, Lyubeshivs'kyi district, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine · CC0
Photo: Gabriele Vaudano · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

And 4 more countries.

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cirl Bunting and Common Reed Bunting.