My dunnock has a mate!

[Mandy]

Hi

Well spring has sprung! My resident Dunnock has for the last couple of days been singing from the tree on the front of my house (and what a beautiful songster he is!), well its worked because this morning he is feeding from the ground under the feeders with a girl in tow! I have spent a while watching him this morning taking such delight in watching him strut his stuff to impress her! He is all fluffed up, chest out and flapping his wings at her. he looks very comical as he romances her, what a pleasure to observe. Im all smiley now!!


Mandy

[Gill Catton]

Dunnocks are gorgeous birds - much under-rated I think, their plumage is very pretty under closer examination. However, in many ways their breeding behaviour is perhaps even more fascinating!!

Dunnock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Bramble]

Wait until the third bird pitches up...

[Elizabeth B]

Originally Posted by Bramble

Wait until the third bird pitches up...

It's quite possible that there already is a third bird! Here is part of a description about their behaviour, from my BirdGuides CDrom:

The dunnock has a remarkably varied and flexible mating system. Sometimes a territory supports just two birds, male and female which co-operate in rearing the young. However, a male with a good quality territory will sometimes attract and mate with two or even three females. More typically though, it is the female who tries to mate with more than one male since any male she has mated with then helps in the feeding of the young.

[Seajay]

[quote=Mandy;105890]Hi
My 'bird of the day' every day. Fascinating and beautiful little things. Always seem so happy and a lovely song too! Those in my garden have become very tame. They chase each other round my legs as I sit in the sun quite oblivious to my presence. Part of my garden scene now and much loved.

[Mandy]

[quote=Seajay;105940]

Originally Posted by Mandy

Hi
My 'bird of the day' every day. Fascinating and beautiful little things. Always seem so happy and a lovely song too! Those in my garden have become very tame. They chase each other round my legs as I sit in the sun quite oblivious to my presence. Part of my garden scene now and much loved.

That sounds wonderful! They do appear quite tame and I often come across them as a wander around the countryside and they will sit and sing a few feet away and seem unconcerned at my presence. Love it!!

Mandy

[badgerwatcher]

They're all fluttering about doing spotted flycatcher impressions in my garden at the moment. Very cute and fluttery!

[Kayleigh]

I love my dunnock's too. One of them feeds from a bird feeder with a tray fitted to it. The male was chasing another male off his territory yesterday. They are so sweet.

[Bramble]

I think mine have built a nest in our spiky bush (I don't know what it is, maybe a privety thing ). There's a messy little cup-type nest lined with leaves in there, as far as I can see, but no-one is sitting on it yet. And I have seen three all at once

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Bramble

I think mine have built a nest in our spiky bush (I don't know what it is, maybe a privety thing ). There's a messy little cup-type nest lined with leaves in there, as far as I can see, but no-one is sitting on it yet. And I have seen three all at once

I think they're real swingers these Dunnocks, as I've got a little trio of Dunnocks doing their thing too. The Robin has a fully fledged juvenile now, that's heard more than seen!