Is a Dunnock the same as a hedge sparrow?

Although some people still refer to the Dunnock as ‘Hedge Sparrow’, the Dunnock is no Sparrow. Instead, it belongs to a family called the accentors. Originating in the Himalayas, these are cover-loving insectivorous birds with sharp, pointed bills.

Are Dunnocks rare in the UK?

The Dunnock is classified as an accentor, a group of birds in the Prunellidae family: there are only two in the whole of Europe, with just one in the UK.

How can you tell a Dunnock?

The Dunnock is similar to the female House Sparrow, it is often called the hedge sparrow. They grey head and under parts and the thin insect-eating bill distinguish it from the others. The adult has black streaks on its upper parts, brown crown and ear coverts and a narrow, dull yellow wing-bar.

Are Dunnocks rare?

The Dunnock has been placed on the Amber List of birds of conservation concern because its breeding population underwent a substantial decline between the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s. Since then the population has recovered somewhat, although numbers have not returned to previous levels.

Will Dunnocks nest in a box?

Dunnocks don’t often use nestboxes, but may occasionally use open fronted nestboxes.

Are Dunnocks bigger than sparrows?

The Sparrow is slightly larger than the Dunnock. The Sparrow’s beak tends to be thicker than that of the Dunnock, which is typically thinner and pointer and Sparrows heads are brown with grey crowns, while the Dunnocks head is blue-grey in appearance.

Are Dunnocks nocturnal?

It may not be the very first to join the daily chorus, perhaps delayed by its proclivity for ‘nocturnal activities. ‘ However, the breeding season is the one time of the year when the Dunnock breaks free from its stealthy nature and begins to sing from prominent song-posts.

How many babies do dunnocks have?

Two to three broods are typical with the clutch size being 4-5 eggs. Dunnocks are unusual in their breeding behaviour in that male birds may have two females, plus other scenarios occur where two males and two females may, effectively, form one breeding pair.

Do dunnocks use the same nest twice?

Not true, unfortunately. Dunnocks have adapted to make use of different breeding strategies. Both males and females want make sure their genes are passed on to the next generation.