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Story: Introduced land birds

Hedge sparrow

Audio file

The hedge sparrow (also called the dunnock) is so named because its colour is similar to the female house sparrow. However, its fine bill shows that, unlike the sparrow, the hedge sparrow mainly eats invertebrates and small insects – like beetles, flies and aphids – rather than seeds.

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Natural Sciences Image Library of New Zealand

Reference: DSCF6475.jpg

by Peter E. Smith

Sound file from the Department of Conservation

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How to cite this page

Christina Troup, Introduced land birds – Other small passerines, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/natural-sounds/17184/hedge-sparrow (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Christina Troup, published 1 March 2009.