Yellowhammer

Emberiza citrinella

Yellowhammers are locally common residents of 790,000 breeding pairs in Britain plus 23,000 birds in Ireland.

Also breeds in mainland Europe.

Winters in North Africa & East Africa.

Males of the nominate subspecies E. c. citrinella has a bright yellow head, heavily streaked brown back, rufous rump, yellow under parts, and white outer tail feathers.

Females are less brightly coloured, and more streaked on the crown, breast, and flanks.

Both sexes are less strongly marked outside the breeding season, when the dark fringes on new feathers obscure the yellow plumage.

Juveniles are much duller and less yellow than the adults, and often has a paler rump.

The song is often represented as "A little bit of bread and no cheese".