Dunnock

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Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Hedges, garden undergrowth.
Diet: Insects, small seeds.
Best time to spot: Skulker; quiet shuffler.

When to look

Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. More on the season in UK garden birds.

How rare is it?

The Dunnock sits in our Common tier for the UK: one of the birds you can expect on most days out in the right habitat. It is Amber-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the middle level of concern in the UK.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Alpine AccentorLegendary · Mountains (very rare)
• Black-throated AccentorLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)
• Siberian AccentorLegendary · Outer-isle scrub (very rare)
• Common WhitethroatCommon · Hedges
• RedwingCommon · Fields
• Fox SparrowLegendary · Hedges (extreme vagrant)

Tell it apart

Side-by-side ID guides: House Sparrow vs Tree Sparrow vs Dunnock.

Kit that helps

Best bird feeders and food for UK gardens. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.