Page 290 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WRENS, DIPPERS,WAXWINGS,AND ACCENTORS
Families Troglodytidae, Cinclidae, Bombycillidae, Prunellidae
WRENS, DIPPERS,
WAXWINGS, AND ACCENTORS

HIS GROUP – ANOTHER convenient
Tgrouping rather than a collection of near
relatives – includes families that are widespread
in the northern hemisphere and one family
(accentors) that is absent from the New World.

WRENS
Primarily an American family, with just one
species in Europe, the wrens are small, brown,
barred birds with loud voices and an “irritable” WINTER FLOCK
character.The Wren, whose scientific name Waxwings take a breather after drinking, before returning to gorge
means “cave dweller”, is likely to be found in themselves once more on a crop of berries.
dark, damp, cobweb-filled places under hedges
and around sheds, searching for insects. WAXWINGS
Upright,crested,short-legged,eye-catching birds,
DIPPERS Waxwings are sociable and often very tame.
Superficially wren-like but larger, the Dipper Their numbers in western Europe vary greatly
swims,wades,and walks underwater. It is always from year to year.
at the water’s edge, even flying along a twisting
water course rather than across dry land. ACCENTORS
Small,slim-billed,shuffling ground birds,accentors
ROCK HOPPER are often overlooked.The Dunnock,
A Dipper stands however, is common in many
beside a rushing
torrent, into which habitats and a frequent
it is likely to plunge. garden songster that
deserves to be a more
popular favourite.

ABUNDANT
Dunnocks are among north-
west Europe's most
common birds, with a wide
choice of habitat types.

VIBRANT SONG
A Wren shakes with the effort as
it pours out a remarkable song,
part of the woodland chorus.

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