Dunnock

The Dunnock, also known historically as the Hedge Sparrow, is a modest-looking songbird with streaky brown upperparts, a slate-gray head, throat, and breast, and a thin, pointed, insect-eating bill quite unlike the thick seed-cracking bill of true sparrows, to which it is not closely related. Its plumage is subtle and easily overlooked, and it typically forages quietly and unobtrusively low to the ground.

Despite its drab appearance, the Dunnock has one of the most complex and unusual mating systems of any European bird, frequently forming polygynous or polyandrous relationships involving multiple mates.

Key field marks

• Streaky brown back and wings
• Slate-gray head, throat, and breast
• Thin, pointed bill (unlike a sparrow's thick conical bill)
• Quiet, shuffling, mouse-like movement close to cover

Similar species

• House Sparrow has a thicker, conical seed-eating bill and lacks the gray head/breast combination.
• Eurasian Wren is much smaller and rounder with a constantly cocked tail.

Habitat

Favors hedgerows, woodland edges, scrub, and gardens with dense low cover for foraging and nesting.

Range

Widespread across Europe and parts of western Asia.

Migration

Mostly resident in the west of its range, with more northerly and eastern populations migrating south for winter.

Behavior

Unobtrusive and often overlooked, shuffling along the ground or through low cover in short hops; known for a complex mating system that can include multiple males and females sharing a territory.

Voice

A thin, high-pitched, rambling warbling song, and a distinctive thin "tseep" call.

Feeding

Gleans insects and spiders from the ground and low vegetation in the breeding season, switching to seeds in autumn and winter.

Nesting

Builds a cup nest of twigs, moss, and grass low in a hedge or shrub; lays 3-5 unmarked bright blue eggs.