A bearded reedling in Elmley National Nature Reserve in Kent, England

© Mark Bridger/Offset by Shutterstoc

Where the bearded reedling sings

This beautiful bearded reedling is a wonderfully resilient creature, no matter what time of year we might visit it. That’s because these songbirds are resident species to the area, which means most stay put in the marshes, from England to eastern Asia, where they thrive. Their diet changes with the seasons, however: In the summer, they dine on reed aphids, while during the colder months, reed seeds sustain them. This guy - and we know he's a male due the distinctive black 'moustache' stretching down his face - is perching in the Elmley National Nature Reserve in Kent, one of the largest bird reserves in England.