THE REED BUNTING 



and summer especially, when this Bunting lives in pairs, 

 each seems to annex for its own particular use some 

 special length of the stream, and here the birds may be 

 seen flitting in a dipping course from one bush to another, 

 or clinging to some tall rush or bending reed stem, then 

 returning by a detour across the water to their favoured 

 haunt. They are wary enough, but not exactly shy, and 

 show little inclination to conceal themselves. At intervals 

 the male indulges in a monotonous and unmusical sort of 

 song, typically Bunting-like in character, and from time 

 to time one bird calls to the other in a harsh seeze. The 

 food of this Bunting consists of seeds and grain, insects 

 and larvae, the latter especially of an aquatic nature. 

 During the non-breeding season much of this food is 

 sought upon stubbles and reed-grown pastures, ricks, 

 and in farmyards. It shows some social tendencies, and 

 often consorts with other grain and seed-eating birds. 

 The breeding season of the Reed Bunting begins in April, 

 and continues until June, or even July, two broods being 

 reared. The nest is usually made upon or close to the 

 ground, often sheltered by a tuft of rushes, or amongst the 

 rank vegetation on the banks of the water. It is made of 

 dry grass and other scraps of dead vegetation, and lined 

 with fine grass, hair, and the flowers of the reeds. The 

 five or six eggs range from pale olive to buff in ground 

 colour, streaked and spottedwith rich brown, paler brown, 

 and grey. 



The adult male Reed Bunting is a very pretty little bird, 

 having the head and throat coal-black, with a white collar 

 and cheeks ; the rest of the upper parts is chestnut, 

 shading into grey on the rump and upper tail-coverts, 

 each feather having a rusty black centre ; the wings are 

 dark brown, with chestnut margins ; the tail is similar 

 in colour, but the two centre feathers are like the back, 

 and the two outermost on each side are marked with 

 white on the outer webs. The under parts are white, 



H7 



