Page 295 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WRENS, DIPPERS,WAXWINGS,AND ACCENTORS
Order Passeriformes Family Prunellidae Species Prunella collaris
Alpine Accentor

dark midwing panel,
edged with white spots grey head yellow-
based
dark bill
dark streaks
on pale grey-
brown back
dark band on
short, closed wings
rounded
wings
streaked,
IN FLIGHT
dull buffish
or grey
dark tail underside
broad red-brown
streaks on flanks
here it is moderately
Wcommon, the Alpine
Accentor can be found by
searching high mountain slopes
with mixed pastures and rock, or in
almost entirely rocky places at high altitude.
In areas where it is more thinly spread, locating
it can be quite difficult. In winter, accentors move to lower levels
and turn up quite regularly at traditional sites outside the breeding
range, usually hilltops, but also centred on old buildings such as castle FLIGHT: quite strong, lark- or thrush-like with
complexes on rocky outcrops.They can be quite tame in winter, but flurries of wingbeats, quick swoops.
are often shy and elusive in summer in the mountains. In shape and
behaviour, they resemble large Dunnocks.
VOICE Short, trilling or rolling calls, trru, tschirr, drrp; song erratic,
uneven series of trills and squeaky notes, sometimes in flight.
NESTING Grassy nest in
rock crevice or under
rocks; 3–5 eggs; 2 broods;
May–August.
FEEDING Forages on
ground, finding insects,
spiders, and seeds. OCCURRENCE
Breeds at high altitude mostly in
SIMILAR SPECIES Pyrenees and Alps, and locally in
Italy and Balkans, usually on wide
DUNNOCK open slopes with short grass and
greyer
on breast; plenty of boulders, or almost
see p.292 wholly rocky places. Sparse at
lower altitude in winter, a few
plainer
wings moving outside breeding range to
Mediterranean islands.
less CHARACTERISTIC MARKING
reddish Seen in the UK
flanks This Alpine Accentor on rocky ground reveals the obvious dark wing JF M A M J JA S ON D
panel that is usually the most distinctive feature at a distance.
Length 15–17cm (6–6 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 22cm (9in) Weight 25g ( 7 ⁄8oz)
Social Family groups Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure
293