Male Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) - Devon, UK
Canon 7D
Canon 500mm F4 L IS plus 1.4x Extender and Canon Extension Tube EF 25 II
F5.6
ISO400
1/1000th
Tripod
Evaluative Metering -1
Text adapted from - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowhammer
The Yellowhammer, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae.
The familiar, if somewhat monotonous, song of the cock is often described as A little bit of bread and no cheese.
Its natural diet consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds. The nest is on the ground. 3-6 eggs are laid, which show the hair-like markings characteristic of those of buntings.
It is most commonly found on lowland arable and mixed farmland, probably due to the greater availability of seeds. It nests in hedges, patches of scrub, and ditches, especially if these have a wide grass margin next to them, and a cereal crop next to the margin. Hedges of up to two meters tall are preferred, and they will not nest until it is in full leaf, building the nest next to the hedge if it is built before this. In winter, the flocks feed at good seed sites, such as newly-sown fields and over-wintered stubbles.