From Opus

Photo by Steve G

Prunella modularis

[edit] Identification

L. 13-14.5 cm

• Black and brown streaks on back
• Streaked brown cap
• Grey throat
• Brown eye
• Fine dark bill

[edit] Distribution

Seen in the UK all year. Found in North and Eastern Europe only in summer.

[edit] Taxonomy

Also known as Hedge Accentor (Sibley and Monroe 1996).

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 8 subspecies:

• P. m. hebridium:

• Ireland, Outer Hebrides, Inner Hebrides and western Scotland

• P. m. occidentalis:

• Eastern Scotland, England, Wales and western France

• P. m. modularis:

• Northern and central Europe; winters to western Mediterranean islands and North Africa

• P. m. mabbotti:

• South-western France to Pyrénées, Iberian Peninsula and Apennine Mountains

• P. m. meinertzhageni:

• Southern Yugoslavia and Bulgaria

• P. m. fuscata:

• Mountains of Crimean Peninsula

• P. m. euxina:

• Northern Turkey to western Caucasus Mountains

• P. m. obscura:

• Caucasus and eastern Turkey to northern Iran; winters to mountains of Lebanon

[edit] Habitat

Hedges, woodland edges, parks and gardens. In mountains and the north occurs in pine, larch and spruce forests, and in willow, birch and alder scrub.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

Nest small grassy cup, lined with hair, moss, feathers, wool in hedge or bush. 2 or 3 broods.

[edit] Diet

Forages on the ground, often close to cover, picks up seeds and small insects.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

• List of references

[edit] External Links