Dunnock
Prunella modularis
Where is it found?
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Woodland, scrubland, farmland, hedgerows and gardens
Diet and foraging method
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Picks up seeds and invertebrates from the ground or searches plants for prey.
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Key adaptations
Dunnock plumage is drab browns and greys providing superb camouflage.
Social organisation and mating system
Mainly solitary
Very flexible mating system that depends on the quality of the environment and whether individuals ranges overlap.
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Monogamy
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Polyandry
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Polygyny
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Polygynandry
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Did you know that...?
The Dunnock is a common host bird for the Cuckoo. Cuckoos lay their eggs in Dunnock nests and Dunnocks incubate this foreign egg even though it looks rather different to their own egg.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Prunella modularis02". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunella_modularis02.jpg#/media/File:Prunella_modularis02.jpg
"Dunnock on Log (12860873753)" by Jacob Spinks from Northamptonshire, England - Dunnock on Log. Licenced under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunnock_on_Log_(12860873753).jpg#/media/File:Dunnock_on_Log_(12860873753).jpg
"Dunnock eggs". Licenced under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunnock_eggs.jpg#/media/File:Dunnock_eggs.jpg
"Dunnock (Prunella modularis) juveniles close" by Walcoford - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunnock_(Prunella_modularis)_juveniles_close.jpg#/media/File:Dunnock_(Prunella_modularis)_juveniles_close.jpg
"Prunella modularis01". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunella_modularis01.jpg#/media/File:Prunella_modularis01.jpg
"Prunella modularis montanella". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunella_modularis_montanella.jpg#/media/File:Prunella_modularis_montanella.jpg
"Prunella modularis02". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunella_modularis02.jpg#/media/File:Prunella_modularis02.jpg
"Dunnock on Log (12860873753)" by Jacob Spinks from Northamptonshire, England - Dunnock on Log. Licenced under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunnock_on_Log_(12860873753).jpg#/media/File:Dunnock_on_Log_(12860873753).jpg
"Dunnock eggs". Licenced under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunnock_eggs.jpg#/media/File:Dunnock_eggs.jpg
"Dunnock (Prunella modularis) juveniles close" by Walcoford - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunnock_(Prunella_modularis)_juveniles_close.jpg#/media/File:Dunnock_(Prunella_modularis)_juveniles_close.jpg
"Prunella modularis01". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunella_modularis01.jpg#/media/File:Prunella_modularis01.jpg
"Prunella modularis montanella". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunella_modularis_montanella.jpg#/media/File:Prunella_modularis_montanella.jpg
