sunbeem - Irene
Dunnock – Prunella modularis
The Dunnock is similar in size to the House Sparrow or Robin but they tend to be a little sleeker with a finer bill. The plumage is a bit dull being a mixture of grey on the head and chest and brown elsewhere. The upperparts and the flank are streaked with warm brown tones. You usually find Dunnocks foraging on the ground or shuffling about in their search for food and their tails always seem to be moving nervously. The breeding behaviour is a little different than you would expect by that I mean one female bird will mate with two male birds, the male bird pecks at the cloaca to remove any sperm from the female before mating themselves to ensure that the baby chick is theirs, and because of this neither male knows who the father is of each chick so they are both happy to supply food for her chicks which usually number around five or so. Young birds have olive brown eyes and these develop into a stunning mahogany red colour around December in their first year.
Dunnock – Prunella modularis
The Dunnock is similar in size to the House Sparrow or Robin but they tend to be a little sleeker with a finer bill. The plumage is a bit dull being a mixture of grey on the head and chest and brown elsewhere. The upperparts and the flank are streaked with warm brown tones. You usually find Dunnocks foraging on the ground or shuffling about in their search for food and their tails always seem to be moving nervously. The breeding behaviour is a little different than you would expect by that I mean one female bird will mate with two male birds, the male bird pecks at the cloaca to remove any sperm from the female before mating themselves to ensure that the baby chick is theirs, and because of this neither male knows who the father is of each chick so they are both happy to supply food for her chicks which usually number around five or so. Young birds have olive brown eyes and these develop into a stunning mahogany red colour around December in their first year.