Scientific name: Emberiza schoeniclus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Buntings
Field characters. 15 cm. Male in summer has head completely black with white moustachial stripe, white collar, and underparts and chestnut upperparts with black and buff lines. Wings similar in colour to upperparts, but with chestnut lesser coverts. Flanks and breast with black streaks. Rump greyish, tail dark with white on outer tail feathers. Female has dark crown and cheeks, white moustachial stripe and indistinct but broad supercilium. Juvenile resembles female. Constantly flicks and fans tail.
Voice. Calls thin 'seeeee', also 'tsik' and hoarse 'tee'. Song simple and short, 'tee tiu teek' and variations.
Distribution. Common, summer visitor in north, resident and migrant in centre and south of region.
Habitat. Marshes and swamps with reed, sedges, tall grasses, and trees. On migration also in drier habitats.
Food. In summer seeds and insects, in winter mainly seeds. Feeds in low vegetatio.