Dunnocks in my garden

Nice photo :)  I'm not quite sure if I have seen a Dunnock,  I have that many sparrows  in my garden, I may be confusing them with the Dunnock. they are very similar? Being new to this still learning. lol.  Hope to recognise one soon :)

Hi Trish and welcome.

Nice photo of a dunnock.

Dunnocks spend most of their time on the ground foraging for food and are rarely in groups of more than 2 or 3, whereas sparrows are in larger groups using feeders. Dunnocks have grey heads and shawls, with speckly chests, and flick their tails a lot.

Lynn B said:

Nice photo :)  I'm not quite sure if I have seen a Dunnock,  I have that many sparrows  in my garden, I may be confusing them with the Dunnock. they are very similar? Being new to this still learning. lol.  Hope to recognise one soon :)

 

Hi Lynnie. If you can't see the pink/red legs and feet (more or less unique for a UK garden bird) the bill shape is the obvious feature to distinguish a Dunnock from a House Sparrow. Dunnocks have the slender bill of an insect eater and sparrows wield a conical seed eaters bill.

JBNTS