Dunnock Factfile
Latin name
Distribution
Dunnocks occur throughout the UK with the exception of more barren areas of the Scottish Highlands, Western Isles and Northern Isles.
Habitat
Woodland and woodland edges, both broadleaf and coniferous, gardens, parks, hedgerows and scrubland.
UK Population
There are around 2,500,000 breeding pairs of Dunnocks in the UK.
It’s probably fair to say that the Dunnock is the most overlooked of all garden birds, and even has to suffer the indignation of also being called a Hedge sparrow – when in fact it isn’t related to sparrows at all and is in a family of birds called Accentors. Both male and female Dunnocks are alike in their grey and brown plumage, but the younger birds tend to be more brown and striped. Dunnocks are a very common garden bird, and they’re normally seen individually or in pairs feeding on the ground – or close to it in undergrowth. The Dunnock is a relatively small bird and about the size of the more familiar Robin or House sparrow.
Dunnock nesting and breeding habits
The Dunnock’s nest is usually well hidden in fairly dense cover such as a shrub or hedge. It is a deep cup of plant stems, twigs, grasses and other general plant material, then lined with moss and hair etc. Sometimes the old nests of other birds are used and adapted. The female Dunnock alone constructs the nest and also incubates the eggs, though both sexes feed the young birds. Two to three broods are typical for Dunnocks with the clutch size being 4-5 eggs, which are bright blue with little or no markings. Dunnocks are unusual in their breeding behaviour, in that male birds may have two females, or a female have two males, plus other more complex scenarios occur where groups of two or three males consort with three or four females – which is called polygynandry.
Dunnock history and population trends
Overall, there has been a moderate decline in numbers of Dunnocks over many decades, with a more sharp decline happening between the mid-1970s and 80s. However, there has been something of a recovery in the last 20 years or so, but none the less the Dunnock remains an amber listed species.
Behaviour traits of Dunnocks
Dunnocks are usually seen on the ground or close to it in vegetation, and shuffling along with rather animated and nervous movements. Dunnocks have a tendency to avoid open areas and like to stay relatively close to cover. However, the song of the male Dunnock – which is a rather high pitched and short burst of somewhat tuneless notes – is often delivered from an exposed perch. Dunnocks in the UK are largely sedentary, meaning they don’t migrate or move any great distance from where they were born. Indeed, Dunnocks will typically venture no further than a 0.1 to one kilometre radius for their entire lives.
Dunnock diet and food
Dunnocks feed on both small insects and small seeds, plus spiders and small worms. In the winter months the food of Dunnocks becomes largely seeds, and for this reason the species is very easy to attract to feeding areas in gardens. There are two key aspects to this however: Firstly, the food needs to be on the ground or a ground feeder tray, and a secondly the seed or other foods needs to be small. For example, Dunnocks will manage a whole sunflower heart but sunflower heart chips are better, plus a husk-free mix which includes chopped peanuts and small seeds such as canary seed is more ideal. Our Premium High Energy Mix would certainly be suitable.
What should I feed Dunnocks?
We recommend the following products to help attract Dunnocks to your garden.
Bird Food
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell a Dunnock from a sparrow?
The quickest and simplest way is to look at the bill: The Dunnock’s bill is relatively thin and pointed, whereas for House sparrows and Tree sparrows their bills are more of triangle shape. Their behaviour is also very different, with Dunnocks being more solitary and shifting along the ground in jerky movements (usually close to the edge of cover such as a shrub), with both species of sparrow being more gregarious and both more likely to be seen in trees and shrubs. Another name for the Dunnock is Hedge sparrow, but Dunnocks are not in the sparrow family - they're a species in the Accentors family.
Where do Dunnock make their nests?
Dunnocks make their nest close to the ground in dense undergrowth such as a hedge or garden shrub.
How do you attract Dunnocks?
The right habitat is key for attracting Dunnocks to gardens, with dense hedges and shrubs along the edge of a lawn or patio being ideal.
What can you feed a Dunnock?
During the spring and summer months, Dunnocks mainly eat invertebrates including insects and small worms. So a great food to put out in your garden for them – and especially during the breeding season – is live mealworms. During the autumn and winter months their diet switches more to small seeds, so if these are put out on a ground feeder tray (Dunnocks won’t use hanging tube feeders) then they’ll usually readily take them. A husk free mix or straight peanuts chips are ideal.
Where do Dunnocks sleep at night?
Dunnocks use dense foliage such as an evergreen shrub as a place to safely sleep at night.