Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
The Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is a common old world bunting found in 67 countries, weighing about 30 g. The yellowhammer is a passerine bird in the bunting family that is native to Eurasia and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia.
About the Yellowhammer
The yellowhammer is a passerine bird in the bunting family that is native to Eurasia and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia. Most European birds remain in the breeding range year-round, but the eastern subspecies is partially migratory, with much of the population wintering further south. The male yellowhammer has a bright yellow head, streaked brown back, chestnut rump, and yellow under parts. Other plumages are duller versions of the same pattern. The yellowhammer is common in open areas with some shrubs or trees, and forms small flocks in winter. Its song has a rhythm like "A little bit of bread and no cheese". The song is very similar to that of its closest relative, the…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The yellowhammer is a large bunting, 16–16.5 cm (6.3–6.5 in) long, with a 23–29.5 cm (9.1–11.6 in) wingspan; it weighs 20–36.5 g (0.71–1.29 oz). The male of the nominate subspecies E. c. citrinella has a bright yellow head, heavily streaked brown back, rufous rump, yellow under parts, and white outer tail feathers. The female is less brightly coloured, and more streaked on the crown, breast, and flanks. Both sexes are less strongly marked outside the breeding season, when the dark fringes on new feathers obscure the yellow plumage. Voice: The song of the cock yellowhammer is a series of short notes, gradually increasing in volume and followed by one or two more protracted notes. It is often represented as "A little bit of bread and no cheese", and the full version can be confused with the almost identical song of the pine bunting. If the final notes are omitted, confusion with the cirl bunting is possible.
What the Yellowhammer sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Morocco, Syria, Faroe Islands, Guernsey.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Yellowhammer?
- The yellowhammer is a large bunting, 16–16.5 cm (6.3–6.5 in) long, with a 23–29.5 cm (9.1–11.6 in) wingspan; it weighs 20–36.5 g (0.71–1.29 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Yellowhammer?
- The Yellowhammer is a small sized bird weighing about 30 g.
- Where can you see a Yellowhammer?
- The Yellowhammer occurs in 67 countries, including Sweden, Norway, Finland, France and Germany.
- What does a Yellowhammer sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Yellowhammer on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Yellowhammer?
- The Yellowhammer is most easily confused with the Common Reed Bunting, the Corn Bunting and the Cirl Bunting.
- Is the Yellowhammer endangered?
- The Yellowhammer is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Yellowhammer for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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