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Bearded Reedling

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

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The Bearded Reedling is a small, long-tailed reedbed specialist of temperate Europe and Asia, with a patchy distribution. Once thought to be a tit or a parrotbill, it is now the only member of its own family, Panuridae. Males are unmistakable, with a grey head and bold black “moustaches”, while females are plainer buff. Pairs usually bond for life and may raise several broods a season.

Did you know?

  • It is the only species in the family Panuridae.
  • The genus name Panurus means “all tail”.

Voice

Sound

About the species

Identification

A buff-brown bird with a long tail. The male has a grey head and a broad black moustache stripe and black undertail coverts; the female is plainer. Young birds resemble the female but have extensive black on the back and tail sides; young females have a black bill, young males a yellow one. The call is a sharp “ping”.

Family

Timaliidae

Size

Small (sparrow)

Colours

orange, grey, black, white, brown

About the habitat

Extensive, dense reedbeds of common reed by fresh or brackish lakes, sheltered coastal bays, marshes and rivers.

Diet

In summer mainly insects and spiders gleaned from reeds; in winter it switches to reed seeds, and its digestive system changes accordingly.

Behaviour

Very social and acrobatic, it climbs up and down reed stems, often straddling two, and hops on wet ground at the water's edge. It flies in tight, low flocks over the reeds, giving a distinctive, metallic “ping” call. It weaves a nest low in the reeds. Mostly resident, it makes short movements and irruptions after breeding.

Sources

Photo: Hobbyfotowiki, CC0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus).jpg

Sound: Bubulcus, CC BY 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panurus.ogg

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions + Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0; Wikipedia: CC BY-SA 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearded_reedling

See also