Dunnock Prunella modularis   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae
BTO Codes: D., DUNNO EURING No: 10840
Number in Britain: 2.1 million territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: Not a species of concern
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: hebridium (R), occidentalis (R), modularis (W) recorded in Britain (of 8 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 14 cm Wingspan: 20 cm Weight: M/F: 21 g    
Scientific name from: Diminutive of L.: prunus=brown and L.: modulari=to sing
World Distribution: Europe & Near East
Habitat: Scrub, undergrowth, towns
Diet: Mostly insects, in winter also seeds, mostly near ground in cover
TitBit: This unobtrusive little brown bird doesn't form pairs (like most birds), but breeds in groups of up to three males and three females, with two males and a female being the most common.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: BirdTrends   
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    BBS Maps
Abundance Maps: Population Density   Change in Density   Guide to Interpretation
British Population Size:
    Summer: 2.1 million territories in 2000
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Recent Breeding Population Decline (1969-2007),
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 AMBER  
   Races of Concern: hebridium AMBER (Important Population), occidentalis AMBER (Recent Decline), modularis GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Villages
    Also common in: Scrub, Arable Farmland, Pasture Farmland, Towns
    And found in: Deciduous Wood
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Migration routes: Map of foreign ringing recoveries  and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
    Summer: 10.5 to 23 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(III), Bern(III)
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack
Results from Garden BirdWatch

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 19 x 15 mm Egg Weight: 2.1 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 324
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs 4.06 ± 0.75 (2 - 6) N = 3487
Incubation: 14- 15 days 14.10 ± 2.08 (10.5 - 18.5) N = 3485   by the: Female
Fledging: 12 - 15days 13.18 ± 1.70 (10 - 16) N = 3509 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 27 Apr (1 Apr - 15 Jun)
Number of Broods: 2(3)
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.473 ± 0.012       
Juvenile Survival: 0.347 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 11 years 3 months 7 days (set in 1962)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: A (pulli B)
Wing Length Adult: 69.9 ± 2.1     Range 60.0 - 79.0 mm, (N = 24215)
Juvenile: 69.4 ± 2.0     Range 60.0 - 79.0 mm, (N = 109671)
Male: 70.6 ± 1.9     Range 61.0 - 79.0 mm, (N = 6571)
Female: 68.8 ± 1.9     Range 60.0 - 79.0 mm, (N = 3114)
Weight Adult: 21.19 ± 3.08 Range 13.80 - 27.40 g , (N =19587)
Juvenile: 20.0 ± 1.6 Range 13.7 - 27.4 . , (N =97166)
Male: 20.85 ± 3.22 Range 14.40 - 27.30 g , (N =5345)
Female: 20.90 ± 1.96 Range 14.10 - 27.20 g , (N =2513)
Seasonal: Summer 20.65 ± 1.50 (N = 17095)   Autumn 20.96 ± 1.65 (N = 5962)   Winter 21.85 ± 1.60 (N = 21934)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Hedge Accentor/Sparrow
Gaelic: Gealbhonn-gàraidh Welsh: Llwyd y Gwrych
Danish: Jernspurv Dutch: Heggemus
Finnish: Rautiainen French: Accenteur mouchet
German: Heckenbraunelle Hungarian: Erdei szürkebegy
Icelandic: Runnatítla Irish: Donnóg
Italian: Passera scropaiola Norwegian: Jernspurv
Polish: Pokrzywnica Portuguese: Ferreirinha-comum
Spanish: Acentor común Swedish: Järnsparv
Local Names:Scrubber, Shufflewing, Creepie

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Davies, N.B. 1992 Dunnock behaviour and social evolution Oxford University Press, Oxford [598.874 DAV]
   Davies, N.B. 1987 Studies of West Palearctic birds: Dunnock British Birds 80:604-624
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead