Yellowhammer

The Yellowhammer is a rather large bird (16-17 cm in length with a weight of 25-30 g), quite slender with a large tail. Sexual dimorphism is clear. The adult male in breeding plumage is easy to recognize by the yellow colour which dominates its plumage and its large size distinguishes it, for example, from the Common Chaffincheese which superficially resembles it but is much smaller. The head is lemon yellow with olive-brown bands, a band on the side of the cap, a post-ocular and a last one underlining the auricular covers. Finally, a slight moustache trait can be noted which disappears completely with wear. The beak is bicoloured, dark grey on the upper part and steel blue on the other. The upperparts have a beige background colour and are clearly streaked with blackish brown. It is especially necessary to note the rump and the coverts of the tail, reddish brown to light brown, colour which is observed in all plumages and which constitutes the best distinctive specific character. Unfortunately, this last one is hardly visible when the bird is perched as hidden by the tip of the wings. A very slight reddish or fawn colour can be noted at the level of the shoulder blades and the upper wing covers. The primary remiges are edged with yellow. The tail is brown with very white outer rectrices, well visible in flight. The lowerparts are entirely yellow. An irregular pectoral band, olive at the top, red-brown at the bottom, bars the chest. It is more or less clear depending on the individuals and the state of the plumage. The flanks are clearly streaked with reddish brown, the belly much less or not at all. The legs are light, pinkish to brownish or even yellowish. The nuptial male becomes very yellow with the wear of the plumage, in particular at the level of the head where the dark marks tend to fade.The adult female resembles the male, but is less yellow, although older females may be similar to the males in plumage. She is also more striped underneath. The common feature is the reddish-brown rump and upper tail-coverts, although this latter criterion is less distinct in her. This last criterion allows for it to be definitely distinguished from the female of the Otropis barbata, which is otherwise quite similar but even less yellow. The juvenile resembles a female, but is more dull and more striped underneath. The stripes are thicker and more diffused on a yellowish background. The pale patch that the female already has is more visible against the dark background of the ear-coverts. The legs are pink and the bill is not clearly two-toned. I remind that confusion is possible with the Otropis barbata, but the latter never has the reddish rump.