Best time to see: all year
Key facts
Widespread small brown bird with characteristic cocked tail
Habitat: anywhere with good low cover, and especially woods
Widespread and common resident
Recognition
Barred back and flanks, tail often cocked; 9–10 cm
Usually hunts for food in dense cover, given away by its calls and loud, wheezing song
Feeds on insects
Lifecycle
Males build several trial nests and the female and lines it with feathers
Nest is a neat dome of grass, moss or leaves in a hole in a bank or in low vegetation
Up to 3 broods late April to June, 5–8 white eggs, speckled red
© David Harrison