Baffled by this. Same issue on two counts.
(1) That the common House / Tree Sparrow is logged as the most commonly seen UK garden bird.
(2) The Dunnock (aka Hedge Sparrow) doesn’t even make the top 10.
Are people just reporting “sparrow-like” birds and are the RSPB not differentiating what is reported. Dunnock and House Sparrow are not just different species they’re quite different types of bird. In my experience of several gardens in different locations, Dunnocks are much more common these days than Sparrows.
[Also incidentally – no Coal Tit ? At least as common as the Blue and Great Tits surely? And Goldfinch increasingly common yes, but no Greenfinch?]
I had an argument with Mike C once on a cycling trip about the difference between a house sparrow and a dunnock – I think many people assume they’re just another LBB. He’s not an expert as, sitting in his sun room in Torver once, he pointed out the blue tit on his feeders. He was quite pleased when I told him it was a nuthatch. From a birding perspective (and most others) I’ll kill to live where he does…
Can’t see Coal Tit’s being as common as BTs or GTs though, Ian – not in our area anyway. GSWs definitely seem to be on the increase.
Torver, now there’s a nice remote spot.