Dunnock (1 Viewer)

[Lizzybif]

I saw one in my garden for the first time ever! Well I suppose it could have been there before as they are quite shy aren't they?
It was hopping about inside a hedge.

What sort of area do they habitat? I live in the far North in the Highlands of Scotland.

It's so nice to see something different isn't it?

Liz

 

[lizmcm]

Keep watching and you'll probably see another. Like you, I've only been birding for a short while and I'm amazed at what I've been missing all these years. I must have been walking around with my eyes shut!
I've found that the dunnocks in my garden tend to appear at the same time as the blackbirds, almost following in there footsteps. I've noticed the same thing at work - see a blackbird foraging for food and a dunnock will appear!
Perhaps someone can tell me if this is the norm.
Liz

 

[salty]

to be honest, dunnocks are found everywhere! woodland, farmland, scrub, parks and gardens etc. as they are often mistaking for sparrows, they can go unnoticed, even though they are widespread across the entire country. the typical place to find dunnocks, as you already have discovered - in hedges!

 

[Mad_BMS]

I agree Salty they are everywhere but until you become aware of them I think they go unoticed. Mine tend to lurk under rather than in shrubs.

 

[Al livsey]

I have Dunnocks daily in the garden, as you said, they like their cover. Occasionally i've seen them perched in a tree, singing.

Al.

 

[Gill Osborne]

The other name for them is Hedge Sparrow...hence them being so common in that habitat. They are really attractive when you take a GOOD look at them...most folk just disregard them as another boring brown bird!!! Which is really unfair on the bird!
I remember watching them in our garden in Wallsend when I was about ten years old and, even now, enjoy sightings of them!
Just because a bird is common doesn't mean it should be ignored!!!

GILL

 

[Mary Evelyn]

They are very mouse like in movement, as they shuffle around feeding.They are longer and slimmer than the sparrow.
They prefer to ground feed , although many are visiting our bird tables.If the robin attacks a sparrow it is usually a dunnock ha ha. o

 

[Mary Evelyn]

The other name for them is Hedge Sparrow...hence them being so common in that habitat. They are really attractive when you take a GOOD look at them...most folk just disregard them as another boring brown bird!!! Which is really unfair on the bird!
I remember watching them in our garden in Wallsend when I was about ten years old and, even now, enjoy sightings of them!
Just because a bird is common doesn't mean it should be ignored!!!

GILL

Right on Gill.
They are really attractive and good to watch o

 

[Mad_BMS]

Mary I have noticed robins do chase off the Dunnocks do you know why? I assumed they feed and breed in similar manner.

 

[AnnieW]

I remember watching them in our garden in Wallsend when I was about ten years old and, even now, enjoy sightings of them!
Just because a bird is common doesn't mean it should be ignored!!!

GILL

Absolutely !! They are really pretty birds if you take the time to look at them closely. I have a large population in the garden .... up to 20 at a time. Several of them have started using the hanging feeders and are more than a match for the robins !!!

 

[rezMole]

I see them evey day. I have a bird table with mixed seeds and peanuts on it. The tits, bullfinches and collared doves come to feed on the peanuts, and throw all the grain and seed on the floor - then the dunnocks move in and eat them from the floor. Never seen one land on the table.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

Mary I have noticed robins do chase off the Dunnocks do you know why? I assumed they feed and breed in similar manner.

Hi Mad,You are right.Thats why everytime a Dunnock turns up the Robin will attack it like mad o Funny how the Dunnock never fights back it just gets on with it. o

 

[Kiscokid]

I love the dunnock too....its probably my favourite garden bird - just flitting around and getting on with its own thing - fun to watch!

 

[Gill Osborne]

I've never seen them on my table yet...normally mine hang around the stone wall and in the hawthorn hedge.
Interesting about robins not being too keen on them...I'll be keeping a look out for that now - see if my robins and dunnocks keep apart when feeding.

GILL

 

[romancitizen]

As someone else says, for years I assumed they were house sparrows, only when I took up birding did I spot the difference. They are in our garden all the time, clearing up the mess on the ground spilled from feeders by B-Tits etc.


Does anyone know if they have recently had an increase in numbers, or have people always mis-identified them as sparrows ?

 

[pauco]

As someone else says, for years I assumed they were house sparrows, only when I took up birding did I spot the difference. They are in our garden all the time, clearing up the mess on the ground spilled from feeders by B-Tits etc.


Does anyone know if they have recently had an increase in numbers, or have people always mis-identified them as sparrows ?

Normally people just think of them as boring L-B-J'S, which is a shame.

 

[Hotspur]

They have the most interesting sex life of any british bird! and for that they are interesting

 

[Mad_BMS]

They have the most interesting sex life of any british bird! and for that they are interesting

Come on Hotspur you cannot leave it like that tell us more :frog:

 

[Mad_BMS]

Funny how the Dunnock never fights back it just gets on with it. o

Mary yeh assuming it is the same pair I get daily the Robin's best efforts never chase them off except for a quick jump out if harms way, then back to searching the ground. I have only recently seen one trying to feed from the pole feeders but it was bad weather at the time.

 

[timmyjones]

I have seen the dunnocks regularly using the bird table and the ones in my garden dont seem to have a problem with the resident robins only occasionally there also not as shy as it apperars compared to everyones elses dunnocks they would come out in the open and singing really loud.