Wildlife

Dunnock Welfare in Gardens and Scrubby Habitat

The dunnock is a widespread but declining garden and scrubland bird with complex polyandrous mating systems, facing welfare pressures from habitat loss and cat predation.

Key Facts

Amber conservation status due to 30 percent population decline since 1970
Complex mating system includes polyandry, polygyny, and monogamy
Feeds on invertebrates and seeds in low dense vegetation
UK breeding population around 2.8 million pairs
Frequently targeted by cat predation in garden environments

Welfare Considerations

Loss of dense low scrubby vegetation through garden tidying and hedgerow removal removes nesting and foraging habitat. Cat predation causes significant dunnock mortality in gardens. Cuckoo parasitism reduces productivity when cuckoos select dunnock nests as hosts.

What You Can Do

Retain dense low shrubs and hedges in gardens
Keep cats indoors during dawn and dusk when birds are most active
Feed ground-feeding birds with mixed seed on bird tables
Support RSPB garden bird conservation campaigns