A bird of many names

Many people call this bird the "Hedge Sparrow" - presumably because it's similar in colouring to a sparrow - being mainly brown and grey - and a similar size. The "hedge" bit must come from its habit of hanging around the bottoms of hedges looking for insects. Its proper scientific name is Prunella modularis. But it was introduced to me as the dunnock, and that's what I've always known it as. It was also pointed out to me that you could tell it from the sparrow straight away by its thin beak. It isn't related to sparrows at all.

The best name it has though is "shufflewing" - an old country name, as I discovered when researching on the internet. It is obviously inspired by the way the dunnock flicks (or shuffles) its wings while moving around quietly in the trees and hedges. The BTO Web BirdFacts page has more information, and includes another name - "Creepie".

It's one of my favourite garden birds. Its colouring is beautiful, in a subtle kind of way, and its mannerisms endearing. Apart from its wing-flicking movement, it is fond of sunbathing, and I've seen a dunnock sitting on the garden bench on a hot summer day, spreading out its wings and tail feathers to the sun. Perhaps all birds do this, but the only other time I've noticed this is with