THE REED BUNTING. 



THE REED BUNTING. 



THE male Reed Bunting, 

 _^~> or Reed Sparrow as it 

 is frequently called, can 

 hardly be mistaken for 

 any other British bird 

 \ on account of his con- 



\ spicuous velvety black 



I head and white collar 

 V running from the base 

 of the bill down the 

 sides of the neck some distance, 

 and thence right round to the 

 back of the head. His back is brownish- 

 black, the feathers being broadly mar- 

 gined with reddish - brown and tawny 

 grey ; breast and under parts white, 

 tinged and streaked with brown towards 

 the sides. He is rather longer than the 

 Common Sparrow, and shows a distinct 

 white streak down either side of his tail 

 when flying away from the observer. 



His mate is smaller and has a brown 

 instead of a black head. 



