Bearded reedling

The acrobat of the reed beds

The bearded reedling is a small, long-tailed passerine with warm colours: a tawny-orange body and wings variegated in black and white.

(Note: the mass value given by Wikidata, 1.88 kg, is plainly wrong for a bird of this size; its true weight is only about fifteen grams.)

The male is recognisable by its blue-grey head and two conspicuous black patches at the sides of the bill, like long moustaches, hence the name. It is the only species in the family Panuridae: long classified among the tits, it is now known to have no close relatives.

Habitat and distribution

It lives almost exclusively in the large Phragmites reed beds of wetlands, lakes and marshes across the temperate zone of Europe and Asia, into North Africa. It rarely leaves the reeds, among which it climbs and moves with great agility.

Behaviour and diet

It is social and noisy, moving in small parties with constant metallic calls. In spring and summer it feeds on insects and spiders caught among the stems; in winter it switches to a diet of reed seeds. This change is accompanied by a remarkable transformation of the digestive tract, which adapts to the tougher food. It nests low among the reeds and may raise several broods in a season.

Curiosities

Young bearded reedlings choose their habitat very early: within days of fledging they "imprint" on reed beds, which binds them to this environment for life. On cold days they are often seen clinging to the stems, balanced by their long tails.

Conservation

The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. It depends closely on reed beds, however: the drainage and degradation of wetlands threaten its populations locally.