Dunnocks!

[tufftie]

We have a pair of mad dunnocks! There is a wood pile outside one of the windows with some twigs sticking up from it. One of the dunnocks keeps coming to the window and flapping its wings before moving away slightly and repeating the process. The pair sometimes fly off but are back with in five minutes. I'm not sure if they either have a next in the wood pile and are trying to warn us off (can't see one) or he is seeing himself in the reflection and trying to either court himself or frighten himself off if he thinks the reflection is male. I'm assuming it's the male that is flapping? (just realised how that sounds - no comments!)

[htcdude]

Heh a flapping male??? Never!!

There's been a couple of threads about this recently. It's probably the male thinking it can see a rival male, so it's warning/attacking it to guard it's female or territory.

Nige

[Dogghound]

It sounds like the bird is seeing its reflection in the window. It sounds more like courting behaviour than aggression though. Dunnocks do form very loose pairs. Either way sounds territorial/breeding related.

[tufftie]

Thanks both and sorry I didn't realise there had been a thread about this before.
I thought dunnocks liked a bit on the side but they are obviously very fond of themselves too......men!

[RobinP]

Polygamous is the word, I believe

[shenk1]

We have 2 (men?) chasing 1 (lady?) all over the place.

After a bit of a chase she then seems only too happy to......erm.......receive their attention

Women!!!

[Ben Orme]

As an aside, I positively identified my first dunnocks today in the garden

[nightshade]

Strange little birds, they have been in my garden for the 30 odd years I have been here. They nest and raise families but I have never found where.
I just see young Dunnocks appear in the stream bathing their feet appear to be too big and soft

[actionfinch]

top class ben well done on the ID ... i have a pair..( of dunnocks ) dont see them in the back garden only the front... i like em ..