Monday, February 13, 2012

Bearded Reedling

hurriyetdailynews.com
Sometimes the usual is unsual.

Take the little guy on the right here, from Lake Mogan in Ankara. All over Europe, folks take him for granted. I, on the other hand, haven't seen one before.

He's a bearded reedling (panurus biarmicus), and part of the reason I've never seen one is his habitat of choice. I spent a lot of time on the Mediterranean coast. This songbird lives in lakeside wetlands, and it's not related to any other species.

I love his markings. Bearded? I don't think. Maybe moustached, or masked, but whatever you call it, it's striking.

Here he is having lunch:

 

Here's how to make a nest for the bearded reedling. I think this clip is really interesting. If I were a little bird, I would appreciate a cozy home like this one. Best of all, the gentleman tells us all the best things about the nest, including what might scare a little bird off. Great information if you're writing about these birds, say in a children's book, or an authentic bit in a longer story.

3 comments:

Old Kitty said...

I was going to say "it's a Bearded Tit"!!! And yay - it is! they are gorgeous gorgeous beautiful special birds!!! The problem here in the UK is preserving the reed beds and marshes from human threat - I think our "beloved" mayor here wants an airport built across the Thames marshes...! Sorry, got political there for a bit. Ahem. I love this man building the bird's nest! Take care
x

LTM said...

it almost looks like a little chipmunk! Too cute! And educational as always~ :D <3

Sarah said...

Those ARE really cool markings. So--is this bearded reedling in a story of yours?

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