The Reed Bunting

Back in May, I took some photos of a little bird in a wild rose bush. I didn't know what it was at the time, but now believe it to be a female Reed Bunting. It had a pleasing chirruping song, and when I spotted it, seemed to be calling for a mate, which makes sense, as they do mate as early as May.

The female Reed Bunting   ( Emberiza  schoeniclus )
 

They are about the same size as sparrows, but have longer tails, streaked underparts, and a buff coloured line above the eye.
 

Females have a brown head, and buff throat throughout the year.
 

Reed Buntings prefer to roost in large numbers in reed beds or wet and marshy areas, where they can be safe from night predators.
 

The female makes the nest, and can start to breed as early as May. We saw this one in the wetlands of Alvor, in southern Portugal.