Birds and wildlife

Yellowhammer

Emberiza citrinellaGroup: BuntingsUK Conservation status:Red

How to identify

Male Yellowhammers are unmistakeable with a bright yellow head and underparts, brown back streaked with black, and a chestnut rump. In flight, it shows white outer tail feathers. They're often seen perched on top of a hedge or bush, singing. Its recent population decline makes it a UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List species.

Call

Yellowhammer

Patrik Åberg / Xeno-canto

Key features to look out for

  • Bright yellow head and underparts 

  • Brown back, streaked with black 

  • Short, greyish bill 

Conservation status

Despite being widespread across the UK until the 1960s, the Yellowhammer is declining rapidly, disappearing from some of Scotland entirely, and becoming a scarce sight in many places around the UK. Populations plummeting by 61% between 1967 and 2020 due to a lack of food and nesting habitat, earning themselves a place on the Red List.

However, things are looking up. In east County Down in Northern Ireland, we’re seeing Yellowhammers recovering in farms where we’re working with farmers to help them encourage Yellowhammers on their land. It’s proof that we can turn things around! 

Where and when to see them

Difficulty rating - Moderate

Yellowhammers feed on the ground, and can be seen picking through seeds. Look out for them in the Midlands and southern, eastern, and western England, West Wales, and eastern Scotland. 

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Where best to see them

Behaviour

Yellowhammers stay on farms all year round, especially on mixed and arable farms. They tend to nest in thick hedges with ditches. 

The adults mainly feed on seeds, whilst the chicks prefer to feast on insects and spiders. 

Call/song

Head out for a countryside stroll along the coast and you might get the chance to witness an iconic performance. Perched at the top of bush, a little yellow bunting – as bright as the surrounding gorse flowers – belts out his distinctive ditty: ‘a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese’. 

Their call has been described as ‘a little bit of bread and no cheese,’ but it sounds more like ‘si-si-si-si-si bzuuuu.’ 

Yellowhammer, male, perched in a bramble bush along farm track
Yellowhammer
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Key facts