Pallas's Reed Bunting

The Pallas's reed bunting, Emberiza pallasi, is a small, sparrow-sized bird belonging to the bunting family Emberizidae. It is characterized by its small seed-eater's bill and distinctive plumage, particularly in the male with its black head and throat, white neck collar and underparts, and a heavily streaked grey back.

Identification Tips

Males can be identified by their striking black head and throat, contrasting with a white neck collar and underparts. Their backs are heavily streaked with grey. Females are more subdued in color, with a streaked brown head and less pronounced streaking below than their reed bunting counterparts.

Habitat

This species is commonly found in tundra scrub near water bodies and also inhabits drier open areas such as open larch forests.

Distribution

The Pallas's reed bunting breeds across northern and central Asia extending to Mongolia. It is a migratory bird, wintering in southeast Asia. Occasionally, it appears as a very rare vagrant in western Europe, including Great Britain.

Behaviour

The Pallas's reed bunting feeds on insects when rearing its young and switches to a diet of seeds at other times.

Song & Calls

The male's song is a simple and repetitive "sherp."

Breeding

Breeding takes place from June to August, with the timing being earlier in the northern parts of its range. The nest, typically situated in a bush, is constructed from grasses and sedges and lined with finer materials such as smaller grasses and hair. The species lays 3-5 cream-colored eggs adorned with hair-like markings, a characteristic feature of bunting eggs. Incubation lasts for approximately 11 days.

Similar Species

The Pallas's reed bunting can be confused with the reed bunting, but it can be distinguished by the male's less brown and more streaked grey back, and the female's duller appearance with less streaking below.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists primarily of seeds, with a seasonal shift to insects during the breeding season to feed the young.

Conservation status

The Pallas's reed bunting is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of widespread decline.