Common reed bunting

    Emberiza schoeniclus

Castilian: Escribano palustre

Catalan: Repicatalons

Gallego: Escribenta das canaveiras

Euskera: Zingira-berdantza

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Emberizidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

It is seriously threatened by the loss of reeds and the drying up of wetlands. Also, agricultural intensification has replaced reed beds with irrigation systems, and herbicides and pesticides are contributing to the decimation of the population by reducing both its animal and plant food sources.

Length / size: 15-16,5 cm / 21-28 cm

Identification: Medium-sized bunting with whitish plumage that is striped on its belly and brown with stripes on its back; the edges of its tail are white. During mating season, the male's head and bib are black, and he has a white moustache that extends toward the back like a collar; during the rest of the year the moustache and throat are white. Females are dark but do not have the white collar.

Song: Its song is a fast "sreep sreep", and when it is in vegetation it makes a soft and ascending "tseeoo" sound.

Diet: It primarily feeds on seeds of annual plants and weeds. During mating season, it also captures invertebrates to feed its chicks.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in May. The female builds the nest in the reeds using plant fragments. She also incubates the eggs, with the help of the male, and both are in charge of feeding the chicks.

HABITAT

It is a river-dwelling species. It depends on wetlands with good aquatic plant and reed cover.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout the north, the Ebro Valley, Levante, La Mancha, and southeastern Madrid.

In Castile and León: Very rare nesting population known to Burgos, Valladolid and Soria. Outside breeding season, it is very scattered.

Movements and migrations: It is a sedentary species in the peninsula. European specimens usually incorporate themselves during the wintering period.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 500 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: If there is a breeding population, it does not exceed 50 pairs.