This medium-sized Asian bunting show a high degree of sexual dimorphism; referred to as Common Reed Bunting by some sources. Alternate Adult male: Black head and throat, bold white sub-moustachial stripe connects with broad white collar. Northern subspecies shows black extending onto the center of upper breast and the upperparts are paler overall. Mostly white below. Back is sandy grayish brown with fine black streaks on northern birds and heavily streaked with black and reddish-brown on southern birds. Coverts are tipped with paler rufous-buff forming two weak wing bars. Grayish rump. Dark tail with white edges. Basic Adult male: Solid black on head replaced by dusky blackish-brown or dark reddish-brown crown, auriculars, and nape. White throat is bordered by a narrow black malar stripe that fans out and connects to a mottled black bib across the upper breast; flanks washed with buffy-gray wash and may show some diffuse streaking. Adult female: Head pattern dramatically different from male, with a dark reddish-brown crown and auriculars, creamy-white supercilium, broad creamy-white moustachial stripe and throat separated by a narrow dusky-brown malar stripe that fans out as it reaches the upper breast. Underparts including breast are pale whitish-brown with fine dark streaks on the sides of the breast and upper flanks. Upperparts similar to male, shows rufous lesser wing coverts and indistinct rufous wingbars. Juvenile: Similar to female, but paler and more buffy. Short dark gray bill with curved culmen. Pale pink legs.

Length: 15 (cm) Wingspan: 21 (cm)

Habitat:

Marshes, bogs, damp meadows, grassy areas and reedbeds.

Behavior:

Forages on ground. In northern portion of range, migratory. In southern, warmer areas of range, birds are resident.

Feeding:

Diet consists of insects and seeds.