Dunnock
Prunella modularis
Nottinghamshire, England - April 2013
Nottinghamshire, England - January 2011
The Dunnock has some very unusual breeding behaviour. Females are polyandrous (i.e. they mate with several males). This has led to a high degree of sperm competition between males and since it is usually the last male to mate with the female that fertilizes the eggs, males often attempt to stimulate the female to eject a rival's sperm by pecking at her cloaca.
Nottinghamshire, England - December 2010
Males provide parental care in proportion to their perceived mating success and help to feed the chicks of females with whom they have successfully mated. Thus it is not unusual to observe more than one male helping to feed chicks from a single nest.
Nottinghamshire, England - May 2010
Nottinghamshire, England - April 2010
Nottinghamshire, England - April 2010
Nottinghamshire, England - April 2010
Lothian, Scotland - February 2005
Devon, England - March 2003
Dumfries-shire, Scotland - March 2002
Ray Wilson owns the copyright of all images on this site.
They may not be used or copied in any form without prior written permission.
raywilsonphotography@googlemail.com