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Yellowhammer

This striking member of the bunting family may visit rural gardens during late winter, a time when farmland seed supplies are at their lowest.

We would normally expect to see Yellowhammers reported from just a small proportion of our BTO Garden BirdWatch gardens. However, this year they have not only made greater use of garden feeding stations but also arrived earlier.

Yellowhammer © T Holden, BTO

The BTO Garden BirdWatch results for the last few weeks (we have 14,000 Garden BirdWatchers who record their garden birds each week throughout the year) show the impact of the recent cold spell very clearly, with Yellowhammers moving into many more gardens than usual.

BTO Garden BirdWatch Yellowhammer Graph

Note how the use of gardens increased from during the last two weeks of 2009 as the cold weather and snow cover restricted access to the farmland seeds that Yellowhammers would more usually feed on.

Yellowhammer, © J Pakenham, BTO

About the Yellowhammer

The Yellowhammer is a farmland bird, often heard and seen in farmland hedgerows during the summer months. During the winter these birds may gather in large mixed flocks to take advantage of suitable feeding opportunities.

Although the Yellowhammer may take invertebrates during the breeding season, its large and robust bill reveals its preference for seeds, especially those rich in starch.

Females are less showy than the males.

Some quick links:

Birdfacts - learn more about the Yellowhammer

BTO Garden BirdWatch - view the full results for Yellowhammer

See what happening to Yellowhammers in the wider countryside

Request a free Garden BirdWatch Enquiry pack - 01852-750050 or email

 

 

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Page last updated 13 January, 2010

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