Appearance:

Unmistakalble where there is no overlap with Snow Bunting (almost always). Anonymous brown bird with white wing patch when seen foraging on ground. Views in flight are dominated by the white on wings and tail. Fairly long-tailed and passer-like. Distinguishable from Snow Bunting in all plumages by the combination of grey head and brown back. Bill dark in breeding season, and yellowish in winter. Female similar to male but slightly duller coloured. Does not perch in trees. Erect posture and frequent tail-flicking when foraging on the ground. Flight less loose than Snow Bunting, with more frequent glides on stiff wings.

Sound:

Rich repertoire. Song a staccato, variable phrase, consisting of short burst of sharp chattering in uneven tempo. The timbre is ringing, rich in harmonics and partly rolling. Among the various contact call the commonest are a high-pitched, sharp "zeet", a deeper, Brambling-like "veet, or a sparrow-like "peea". Alarm call a rolling "trr-r-r-rt", resembling Crested Tit.

Alarm, contact call, song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Photo by Paul Cools. CC-license

CC-Photo:Frank Delbecque, Licence,Link.

CC-Photo:Steven Wytema, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Like a Willow Tit with dark brown hood, brown back and warm brown flanks. Fluffy overall look, with very large dark bib. Summer plumage often looks "newly washed" and untidy. Tail slightly longer than in Willow Tit, and flight is less undulating. Not shy.

Sound:

Voice quite similar to Willow Tit. Song: Often vibrating or rasping notes repeated in Willow Tit-like structure, gradually falling in pitch "trrrrrr trrrrr trrrrr". Call: Nasal Willow Tit-like "chee chee chee" , "ti ti chee". Other sounds: Chirping, bubbling sounds resembling Willow Tit, various other high pitched sounds.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Hannu Jännes, Licence,Link.