Back
Body length: 16-17 cm
Body mass: 25-30 g
Appearance:
Male: black-barred brown-grey upperparts, red-brown rump, bright-yellow head and belly. Brownish breast-band sometimes present.
Female: black-barred brown-grey upperparts, red-brown rump, yellowish head and belly.
Juveniles: similar to females.
A common bird preferring an agricultural landscape and so avoiding both large forests and higher altitudes. Nests built low above the ground, in the interwoven branches of shrubs, in sunny places. Lining of delicate grass stems and hair. Eats insects, though post-harvest crop-residues from fields also consumed willingly. Cases of crosses with pine bunting known, the hybrids showing intermediate features and being fertile. Mainly resident and sedentary in Poland.
Descriptions drawing on content of Ptaki Polski (“Birds of Poland”) - a book authored by Andrzej G. Kruszewicz, and published by MULTICO Oficyna Wydawnicza Sp. z o.o.
