If you’ve ever traveled abroad, even from one state to the next, you’ll know just how diverse the wildlife of the world can be. There are some birds that we’re used to seeing in our gardens every day, but other species that are much rarer to come across.

The bearded reedling is one of those birds.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-z6qcUA82y/?utm_source=ig_embed

With their plump, round bodies and their characteristic under-eye markings, if you’d seen a bearded reedling before, you’d probably know about it. But this adorable bird – which reminds us of a baby pufferfish on legs – tends to live separately from us humans.

If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a bearded reedling or two in reedy marshes in England all the way to eastern Asia. They don’t normally migrate, so you’ll find them in the same spot all year round.

These birds are only about 6.5 inches long. They’re so tiny that they could easily fit in the palm of your hand, and they move incredibly quickly, making them particularly difficult to capture on camera.

They enjoy a diet of reed aphids in warmer summer months, and reed seeds in winter, hence why they tend to live and nest near to areas that offer a good supply of reeds to keep them going.

One interesting fact about bearded reedlings is that they’re sexually dimorphic, which means the males and the females have differences in appearance. This isn’t always the case when it comes to bird and animal species.

You can tell bearded reedlings apart from their markings. The males are soft red, yellow and grey in color.

Of course, they have the tell-tale moustache, hence their name, “bearded”.

Females are duller in color and smaller, and don’t have the black moustache marking. They also have darker beaks than their male counterparts.

Bearded reedlings aren’t just adorable to look at – they have their own quirky personality traits too. For example, you can often find a bearded reedling casually sitting in splits position when it’s taking a rest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5j9uCDAT8s/?utm_source=ig_embed

Despite their shape, these birds really are more acrobatic than they look.

Though we may not see a lot of them, bearded reedlings are by no means on their way to extinction. They’re prolific breeders and can have up to four broods a year. When you consider that each brood has around four to eight eggs, that’s pretty impressive stuff! However, the birds are more limited by habitat than they used to be.

There are so many fascinating facts about the bearded reedling, but when it comes down to it, we think we simply love it so much because of its comedic appearance. It’s impossible not to warm to something that looks so cute and cuddly.

Sadly for anyone who’s thinking of taking a bearded reedling on as a pet, they are strictly wild animals, and only an expert breeder would be able to get up close and personal with them. It’s better to respect and appreciate them from afar.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to enjoy the photographs of these birds that a few dedicated photographers have managed to snap.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdgEDT5nucA/?utm_source=ig_embed

What’s for sure, these chubby little fellas have made it onto our “photos for when you feel down” phone album.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: Bored Panda, Discover Wildlife, Britannica