The Bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus) is a small songbird frequently known as the Bearded tit, due to some similarities to the Long-tailed tit, or the Bearded parrotbill. Studies have shown that the Bearded reedling is most closely related to larks.
The Bearded reedling is a small orange-brown bird, with a long tail and an undulating flight. Its bill is yellow-orange. The male has a grey head and black moustaches (not a beard); the lower tail coverts are also black. The female is generally paler, with no black moustache.
Bearded reedlings are found in temperate Europe and across the Palearctic. Most birds do not migrate but make eruptive or cold weather movements. Bearded reedlings live in wetlands in large reed beds along lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, and other fresh and brackish water bodies.
Bearded reedlings are social birds. They spend their days foraging in groups or pairs. After the breeding season, they may feed in larger flocks. Flocks often betray their presence in a reedbed by their characteristic 'ping' call. They feed near water, at the base of the reeds, and also search for food in muddy areas. Bearded reedlings are very skillful birds; they can feed upside-down and extract the seeds not only with the bill but also with the foot. When on the ground, they run quickly, scratch the soil, and turn over the leaves searching for insects. At night, mated pairs often sleep together perched on a reed stem.
Bearded reedlings are carnivores (insectivores) and herbivores (granivores). They eat various reed insects, bugs, beetles, moths, mosquitoes, spiders, snails, larvae, and pupae in summer, and reed seeds in winter.
Bearded reedlings are monogamous and form pairs. They breed between late March and early September in Western Palaearctic. Bearded reedlings breed in colonies in reeds. Both the male and the female construct a cup-shaped nest and line it with feathers and mature reed heads. The female lays 4 to 8 eggs which both parents incubate for 10-14 days. The chicks fledge between 12-16 days after hatching and remain with their parents for 2 weeks more. Young birds usually start to breed at 1 year of age.
Bearded reedlings are not considered threatened at present. However, in some areas, they suffer from the loss of wetland habitats and hard winters, which may kill many birds.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Bearded reedling is 3,000,000-5,800,000 mature individuals. In Europe, the breeding population consists of 232,000-437,000 pairs, which equates to 464,000-875,000 mature individuals. The population in China consists of around 100-10,000 breeding pairs and less than 50 wintering individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
