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Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella

Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella
is a passerine bird in the bunting family that is native to Eurasia and introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, South Africa, United States and Canada. Most European birds remain in the breeding range year-round, but the eastern subspecies is partially migratory, with much of the population wintering further south. The male yellowhammer has a bright yellow head, streaked brown back, chestnut rump and yellow underparts. Other plumages are duller versions of the same pattern. The yellowhammer is common in open areas with some scrubs or trees, and forms small flocks in winter. It has a characteristic song with an “A little bit of bread and no cheese” rhythm. The song is very similar to that of its closest relative, the pine bunting, with which it interbreeds.

Females and juveniles, especially of the pale eastern subspecies, E. c. erythrogenys, may be confused with pine buntings, but they always have a yellow tint to their plumage, a paler rufous rump and more uniform upperparts than that species. Young and female yellowhammers can be distinguished from cirl buntings by the grey-brown rump of the latter species. Male hybrids with pine bunting are typically white-faced and have some yellow on the head, underparts or flight feathers, but females are usually indistinguishable from yellowhammers.

The song sounds like this
Recording by david m from Xeno canto