Sparrows and dunnock ID

[Nicos]

For NannyGreen ( and me as I hadn't a clue either) and anyone else who has wondered....

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ne#post2520780

Dunnock....
https://www.bto.org/our-science/proj...-birds/dunnock


Tree and house sparrow...
https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk...-tree-sparrow/

[NannyGreen]

Thank you Nicos , they are all so similar aren't they? Even with my binoculars I am still not sure I will see the differences. Anyway, pleased I managed to get the Birdwatch right as I put them down as house sparrows

[Nicos]

I admire people who can easily ID similar birds.
Maybe it’s something I should try and concentrate on over the summer

[burnie]

Learning their calls and songs helps and also the way they fly, the habitat they are in also helps.

[burnie]

House Sparrows

[peanut]

Another way to tell Dunnocks from Sparrows is their beaks. Sparrows have thick chunky beaks for crunching seeds etc, Dunnocks thin little beaks for little insects.
Sparrows are often seen in groups of males and females in shrubs etc, Dunnocks tend to be on the ground, alone or a pair.

[NannyGreen]

I might try listening to the calls burnie although I'm not that good with identifying names of tunes, I know the the ones I hear commonly in the garden like the blackbird and robin, oh yes, and the flipping pigeons. After that it gets a bit fluffy but I probably stand more chance of identifying a song as the eyesight ain't what it was

Which is why peanut your description of beaks is hugely helpful but would be hard for me and my binoculars And they are all so quick......

[annie8]

I often get dunnocks in the garden. Their shape is more like a robin and look out for the grey chest. Also they are ground feeders so you wouldn’t see them on nut feeders really but you might see them below I guess picking up discarded seeds.

[NannyGreen]

I thought the bird I saw had a proper grey chest annie8 hence the original question (the original picture is on the other thread - sorry haven't worked out how to link to it yet). It was sitting in the hedge having collected nesting material and checking for marauders I suspect. My eyesight is not so good and I use binoculars usually but my video camera was to hand so I zoomed in to see what it was.

Now I have half an idea what to look for I shall be watching the border under the hedge, a favourite haunt of the blackbirds and robins. I wasn't disappointed to find out it was a house sparrow until people started saying they had them in their garden - now I want them

Mod note.... photo link added ...
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ne#post2520776

[mothhawk]

I often get dunnocks in the garden. Their shape is more like a robin and look out for the grey chest. Also they are ground feeders so you wouldn’t see them on nut feeders really but you might see them below I guess picking up discarded seeds.

The dunnocks in my garden (and the robins too) have learned how to take sunflower hearts from the feeders, but only when there are no other birds around.

[NannyGreen]

Aren't they lovely to watch mothhawk ? My hedge feeder has a mix of seed, suet and mealworms much loved by the blue tits but the robins will also get in there although, as you say, only when no-one else is around.

I had to make some seed catchers for my main feeders as I had a rat problem last summer and during the snow the robin found the discards very appetising, much to the annoyance of the tits

[Nicos]

NG...I’ve just added the photo link to your previous post.

(click on the number of the post and copy and paste the link code)

[annie8]

Yes Mothhawk the robin that spends lots of time in my garden has managed to find a way to get onto the feeder tooalthough it struggles to stay on for long. It then takes a few seeds back to the wall behind and eats them there. It’s spending loads of time at the feeder and the moment and gets quick put out when the other birds have a turn. Have only seen the dunnocks on the feeder once, they are usually below catching what falls from the other birds. Think the style of feeder I have lends itself to the tits and finches as the perching space isn’t big. Just been watching it and the pair of bull finches are back. I use a mix of sunflower seeds and Nyger, to attract interesting birds and also the squirrels aren’t so keen on the nyger and they are a pest.
Nanny green agree with others the original pic is a sparrow, the dunnocks often appear more of a mid grey on the chest to me and I certainly find them to be a much rounder shape. I get very few sparrows in my garden as I haven’t got the kid of hedging/shrubs they like ( but working on it.) so am always delighted when I do see one.

[NannyGreen]

Well annie8 I am resigned to having sparrows and in truth I love them lots. Don't know about you but I can spend ages just watching them. A dunnock or two would just be lovely.

I am looking forward now to sparrow fledging time and watching their antics, they are so funny leaping around investigating everything. My primroses and violas always take a hit as they insist on pulling all the flowers off but it is way better than TV

Edited to add: Thank you Nicos for the linking info, going to try that out.