Sparrow or Thrush?

CardinalJ

Help me settle a bet please?

whyulittle

Its proper name is a Dunnock, but they are also known as a Hedge Sparrow.

Gregor Samsa

They look like Dunnocks to me. They don’t have the finch-like stubby bill of a House Sparrow, so they’re definitely not them. And too small and stubby to be a Thrush.

Dunnocks are about the same size as a House Sparrow, and look a little like the female (you wouldn’t mistake one for a male House Sparrow) but have a more pointed, insectivore bill and have that light grey line above the eye and a grey face. They’re almost always only seen singly or in pairs, whereas Sparrows would usually be in a slightly larger flock.

Given that Dunnock wasn’t one of the options, I’m not sure who wins the bet 🤷

Dunnocks are colloquially known as “hedge sparrows” but they’re not actual sparrows, so you can use that for or against your opponent, depending on which of you said “sparrow” and how loose a definition you want to apply.

differences between House Sparrows and Dunnocks:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-teachers/schools-birdwatch/birds-to-look-out-for/whats-that-bird/house-sparrows-and-dunnocks/

CardinalJ

I started on Sparrow but will take a moral victory. Thanks.