Reed Buntings?

Question

Hi everyone. 
 This has been bugging me for a few days now. The winter fair has recently packed up near me, leaving lots of worms etc for birds to browse through. I saw a flock of birds all of which looked like female Reed buntings to me, (my dad disagrees and reckons they're Linnets) feeding on the ground with Redwing and Blackbirds. The thing that is confusing me is the fact I saw no male Reed Buntings (if that's indeed what they are) would a group of females hang around together like that? or do males lose the black and white head markings in the winter? The birds in question were brown, with black barring all over, and a distinctive white patch at the base of each wing. they were moving quite quickly on the ground, then flying very low over short distances. I'm going to go back out tomorrow and see if I can get a picture. It's driving me up the wall! thanks guys EDIT - I forgot to say, the beak was like that of a Siskin or Goldfinch.

Buzzard · Answer

Hi PeregrineRhi, 
 It is quite difficult to distiguish between first year Male Reed Buntings and Female Reed Buntings, the chances are if you were watching Reed Buntings there will be some males in amongst them. 
 The Adult Male Reed Bunting will have a black mask. 
 The Photo's below will hopefully help! 
 
 This is the problem you are faced with if you are trying to determine the sex of the bird. 
 Is this a first year Male or a Female! 
 
 Adult Male 
 Regards Buzzard

Brad · Answer

hi, i wouldnt say im an expert on buntings but i do watch them all year round 
 same with linnets and i would probably say your dad wos right cause linnets are 
 very sociable birds even when feeding and the distinctive white patch you see from 
 the base of each wing sounds like the linnets wingbar coulor 
 and you say the beak looked liked a siskin or goldfinches the siskins beak 
 looks more like the beak on a linnet. 
 
 Brad mcnaughton