Emberiza citrinella
Least Concern
A large member of the bunting family, the Yellowhammer is best known as a farmland bird. The bright yellow head of the male, combined with its high-pitched twittering whistle, makes it stand out against countryside hedgerows and freshly ploughed fields.
Yellow
Yellow
Brown
Brown
Brown, White
White, Black
Brown
Brown
Brown
Short
Pink
Pink
Pink
Pink
Pink
Pink
Chestnut brown streaked back, yellow head and underparts
Less yellow than male, more heavily streaked
More streaked and less yellow than adults
Short and brown
Short and brown
Short
15cm to 17cm
Length
22cm to 29cm
Wingspan
20g to 30g
Weight
Click on an image below to see the full-size version
Yellowhammer perched at the top of a tree
A pair of Yellowhammers perched on a branch
Female Yellowhammer
Yellowhammer in the snow
Close up portrait of a Yellowhammer
Close up of a perched Yellowhammer
Seeds and grains are the most important foods to Yellowhammers
Yellowhammers are extremely vocal, and their distinctive song is familiar to many
Juvenile Yellowhammer
Yellowhammer nest and eggs
Distinctive 'little bit of bread and no cheese' song
Repeated short notes followed by longer, lower pitched note
Sharp, short 'tik' sound
Active during the day, feeds in the morning and evening
Territorial during breeding season, forms flocks in winter
Defends nesting territory with song and displays
Northern and eastern populations migrate south in winter
Interacts with other seed-eating birds at feeding sites
Seeds, Insects
Feeds on the ground, often in flocks outside breeding season
Morning and evening
Picks insects from leaves, stems and ground
Eats more insects during breeding season, seeds in winter
None known
On or near ground in dense vegetation
Bowl-shaped nest made of grass and lined with hair
April to August
Up to three
Glossy, light blue with fine, dark speckles
Approximately 2cm x 1.5cm
3-6 eggs
Around 12-14 days
Approximately 10-14 days
Both parents feed chicks, only female incubates eggs
Europe and Asia, with some populations migrating to Africa
Open countryside with hedgerows and woodland edges
Lowland
Northern and eastern populations migrate south in winter
Temperate Forest, Grassland
Temperate
Please note, this range and distribution map is a high-level overview, and doesn't break down into specific regions and areas of the countries.
Distribution notes
Introduced populations to Australia and New Zealand
Resident or Present
Breeding
Non-breeding
Passage
Vagrant
2
5
3 year(s)
1 year(s)
1 year(s)
Monogamous, often returns to same breeding site
Older males may have brighter yellow plumage
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Habitat loss due to agricultural intensification
Habitat management schemes in place in many areas
Population decreasing due to habitat loss
Yellowhammers are on the UK’s red list as a species of concern due to the sharp decline in population numbers in recent decades.
In 2020 they were estimated to be around 700,000 breeding territories in the UK, so there are plenty of them around in the wild, but they certainly aren’t as common or widespread as they once were.
As arable farmland is the most popular habitat of yellowhammers, they are most common in regions where this is the dominant landscape, with areas such as eastern England traditionally having high concentrations.
Any areas of open countryside and fields planted with cereal crops could offer foraging opportunities for yellowhammers, so head to this kind of setting to improve your chance of a sighting.
Sparrowhawks, goshawks and hobbies are among the chief predators of yellowhammers. Their nest sites are also frequently raided by crows, jays and magpies, as well as mice, rats and other small rodents.
At the outset of the breeding season, male yellowhammers are observed to put on aggressive displays while establishing their territories. Aggressive behaviour is most commonly observed between two males than between mixed sex pairs.
Outside of the breeding season, yellowhammers are a sociable, gregarious species, integrating into large, loose flocks with finches, sparrows and buntings and feeding on arable fields and ditches alongside farmland.
Other names:
Golden Bunting, Scribble Larks, Scribblers
Family:
EmberizidaePopulation size:
40000000-69999999
Population trend:
Decreasing
Conservation status:
Least Concern
IUCN Red List
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