Pallas’s Reed Bunting
Emberiza pallasi
Pallas's Reed Bunting is a rare winter visitor to Britain, typically seen in coastal wetlands and reedbeds, particularly in the eastern and southern regions, from October to April. It is a scarce sighting, with most records coming from East Anglia and the southeast coast.
Field Identification Guide
Use these features to identify Pallas’s Reed Bunting in the field.
The Pallas's Reed Bunting can be identified by its distinctive white eyebrow stripe, dark brown back with pale edges to the feathers, and a long, notched tail. Its pale underside and grey-brown crown also help to distinguish it from other buntings.
The Pallas's Reed Bunting is slightly smaller than a Reed Bunting, approximately the same size as a House Sparrow.
The male Pallas's Reed Bunting has a grey-brown crown, white eyebrow stripe, and a dark brown back with pale edges to the feathers, with a pale underside and a long, notched tail, although the plumage can appear more subdued in winter.
The female Pallas's Reed Bunting is similar to the male, but with a more subdued colouration, particularly on the crown and back, where the brown tones are more muted.
The call of the Pallas's Reed Bunting is a sharp, metallic "tek" or "tink" sound, while its song is a series of short, melodic phrases.
Pallas's Reed Buntings are skulking birds, often feeding on the ground or in low vegetation, and when alarmed, they will fly swiftly and low over the reeds, using their long tail for steering.
The Pallas's Reed Bunting can be confused with the Reed Bunting, but it can be distinguished by its white eyebrow stripe, darker back, and longer tail, as well as its more subdued colouration, particularly in females.
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