Newbie confused with little brown birds! (1 Viewer)

[Colstar]

Is it just me or do others get confused with all the different (and to me, similar) small brown birds. I often struggle to differntiate between sparrows and dunnocks etc. I took this photo at Leighton Moss Nature Reserve, Lancashire the other day and not sure what it is. Any help much appreciated.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Dunnock. The thin beak, greyish cheeks and pink legs add up to a distinctive appearance.

 

[Scridifer]

Cracking photo Colstar!

Chris

 

[Colstar]

Dunnock. The thin beak, greyish cheeks and pink legs add up to a distinctive appearance.

Thanks!

 

[delia todd]

Hi Colstar - Dunnocks are insect eaters, hence the thin bill, whereas House Sparrows are mainly seedeaters, so they need a much stronger bill to break open the husks. They are generally more skulking, hunting under the hedges, House Sparrows usually sit on top of the hedge in groups.

The bill is often the first thing you need to look at, when trying to identify a bird as it will often point you to a family so you can work out which one it is.

Plumage - Dunnock has black streaking in amongst the brown; House Sparrows more buffish streaks, any black bits are more like small blobs. The head, though pale, isn't really 'grey' and they don't have the grey collar. The pink legs which Welsh Peregrine highlighted, are really very distinctive on the Dunnock (with the light behind them, they really glow!). House Sparrow legs are really pale brown and really not noticeable at all LOL.

Dunnock - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

House Sparrow - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

It's generally the female that causes the confusion. The male House Sparrow is very distinctive.

Hope this helps.

 

[Colstar]

Hi Colstar - Dunnocks are insect eaters, hence the thin bill, whereas House Sparrows are mainly seedeaters, so they need a much stronger bill to break open the husks. They are generally more skulking, hunting under the hedges, House Sparrows usually sit on top of the hedge in groups.

The bill is often the first thing you need to look at, when trying to identify a bird as it will often point you to a family so you can work out which one it is.

Plumage - Dunnock has black streaking in amongst the brown; House Sparrows more buffish streaks, any black bits ary more like small blobs. The head, though pale, isn't really 'grey' and they don't have the grey collar. The pink legs which Welsh Peregrine highlighted, are really very distinctive on the Dunnock (with the light behind them, they really glow!). House Sparrow legs are really pale brown and really not noticeable at all LOL.

Dunnock - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

House Sparrow - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

It's generally the female that causes the confusion. The male House Sparrow is very distinctive.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, very helpful!

 

[delia todd]

Thank you, very helpful!

Cheers. Now I want someone to help me sort our Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. I'm fine when they're up in the air singing... it's on the ground or sitting on a fence post I struggle.

The lark doesn't always show a raised crest, or rather I never seem to see one!! So all I see must be Meadow Pipits!

 

[PYRTLE]

You'll improve your identification the more you browse literature, and just watch birds go about their routine, gaining experience. Otherwise your concentrating on lighting, exposures and capturing brilliant images, which is fine, but not helping with identification. Did you see the Dunnock has a very swollen right foot,hind toe?
A reasonable Field Guide will help you, if you haven't one........drop a subtle Santa hint.🎅
Either way, have fun.
Great picture BTW.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

For Larks v Pipits, again shape helps. Pipits are in the same family as Wagtails, and are basically a brown, short tailed version. Larks are a little bit chunkier with a somewhat thicker bill.

 

[PYRTLE]

For Larks v Pipits, again shape helps. Pipits are in the same family as Wagtails, and are basically a brown, short tailed version. Larks are a little bit chunkier with a somewhat thicker bill.

Wish it were really that straightforward, some species abroad certainly overlap or come very close to it. But as a general guide, it's a good start.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Indeed; I didn’t want to concentrate on the caveats and exceptions!