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Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae
BTO Codes: Y. , YELHA EURING No: 18570
Number in Britain: 792 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: Not a species of concern
Global: Least Concern
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Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: caliginosa (R), citrinella (RW) recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 16 cm Wingspan: 26 cm Weight: M/F: 31 g    
Scientific name from: old German: embritz=bunting and L. citreus=of the citrus tree (i.e. yellow)
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe, w&c Asia, WINTERS: south to n Africa and east to e Asia
Habitat: Grassland, farmland
Diet: Grass seeds, esp cereal grain, summer, invertebrates
TitBit: The rendition of the familiar song of the Yellowhammer as a "little bit of bread and no cheese" was made popular by Enid Blyton in her children's novels.  
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 792 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: 8th Century [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Arable Farmland
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 14 to 25 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(III),Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Garden BirdWatch
Winter Farmland Bird Survey
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 21 x 16 mm Egg Weight: 2.9 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 158
Clutch Size: 3 - 4 eggs 3.44 ± 0.70 (2 - 6) N = 1607
Incubation: 13 - 14 days 13.03 ± 1.40 (11 - 16) N = 1607 by the: Female
Fledging: 13 - 16 days 14.29 ± 2.16 (10 - 17) N = 2185 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 29 May (2 May - 22 Jul)
Number of Broods: 2(3)
Trends in Breeding Productivity

Number Ringed: 2695
Adult Survival: 0.536 Juvenile Survival: 0.529 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 3 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 11yr9m   (Germany: 13yr 0m)
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Biometrics
Ring Size: A (pulli B)
Wing Length Adult: 85.7 ± 3.4 Range 80 - 91 mm, N =11446
Juvenile: 84.9 ± 3.1 80 - 90 mm, N =2332
Male: 87.4 ± 2.9 82 - 92 mm, N =6804
Female: 83.1 ± 2.3 79 - 87 mm, N =4388
Weight Adult: 25.89 ± 1.72 Range 23.30 - 28.90 g , N =9489
Juvenile: 25.75 ± 1.78 23.10 - 28.80 g , N =1925
Male: 26.17 ± 1.69 23.60 - 29.00 g , N =5682
Female: 25.47 ± 1.67 . 23.00 - 28.40 g , N =3605
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
Gaelic: Buidheag-bhealaidh Welsh: Melyr yr Eithin
Danish: Gulspurv Dutch: Geelgors
Finnish: Keltasirkku French: Bruant jaune
German: Goldammer Hungarian: Citromsármány
Icelandic: Gultittlingur Irish: Buíóg
Italian: Zigolo giallo Norwegian: Gulspurv
Polish: Trznadel zwyczajny Portuguese: Escrevedeira-amarela
Spanish: Escribano cerillo Swedish: Gulsparv
Local Names: Yellow Bunting
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
No books written recently
See Also:
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
BOU Register of Avian Theses entry
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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