Table of Contents 1.

The Dunnock is an unassuming garden visitor which is variously known as the Hedge sparrow, Hedge warbler, Titling or Hedge Accentor. This last one is the most truthful of these names, for it is neither a member of the sparrow, warbler, nor tit family, but an Accentor, in the genus Prunella, most of which are mountain dwellers. The Dunnock however, is not, but is the most widely distributed of its genus, being found throughout temperate Europe and into Asian Russia. Their favoured habitats are woodlands, gardens and hedgerows, and they are typically ground feeding, mostly eating invertebrates.

The common name, Dunnock, derives from the Old English dun, meaning ‘dingy brown’ and the diminutive suffix -ock meaning ‘little brown one’. Rather charmingly, Accentor derives from the Latin ad- (to/with) and cantor (singer), meaning ‘one who sings with another’, and this is echoed in the Dunnock’s species name too, Prunella modularis. While the genus name Prunella is a diminutive form of the German for brown, modularis is the Latin for ‘modulating’ or ‘singing’, and at this time of year, the Dunnock’s song is evident in many gardens across the UK before many other songsters return to full voice in spring and migrants return in force. In Irish folklore, they were referred to as the Irish Nightingale or Bráthair an dreoilín (Wren’s brother).

Interestingly, Dunnocks exhibit a practice that isn’t observed in any other similar-sized small brown bird in Europe: wing flicking. This is especially noticeable when competing for a mate or during rivalry over territory, and gave rise to the old nickname of ‘shufflewing’. It can be seen more regularly, perhaps than other species’ courting behaviour though, since Dunnocks also practice unusual mating behaviour with females often being polyandrous. This means that chicks within a single brood may have several different fathers and are provisioned by all parents according to mating success. This is a far cry from the Dunnock’s ‘sober and unpretending’ appearance and ‘homely’ habits used as a metaphor for the ideal humble Christian life by the Reverend Frederick Morris in 19th-century Victorian England!

They have not always had a favourable image, being labelled the “foolish Sparrow” for the belief that they were easily deceived by the Cuckoo, which uses the Dunnock as a brood host.

Dunnocks build nests predominantly from twigs and moss, and line them with soft materials like wool, fur or feathers. These are typically low in a bush or conifer, and the eggs are a startlingly bright, unspotted blue. This vibrancy hidden in the undergrowth by an unassuming bird secured their place in rural mythology as a quiet guardian and led to the eggs being hung by the chimney or hearth to ward off evil spirits, witches or misfortune. In Celtic tradition, the Dunnock was considered a messenger of the gods, particularly connected with the goddess Brigid. Yet others believed that their quieter nighttime songs, which had a more melancholic air to them, were the cries of unbaptised babies returning to the world in search of their parents.