THE HEDGE ACCENTOR 



ACCENTOR MODULAR1S 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : " Hedge-betty," 

 " Hedge Moke " (Essex). 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : A common and widely 

 distributed resident, its numbers increased in autumn by 

 migratory individuals. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : The Hedge Accentor is one of the commonest 

 birds of the Metropolitan area, too often mistaken for a 

 Sparrow, perhaps, but a denizen of London found, say, 

 from the two-mile radius in increasing numbers to the 

 outlying suburbs. That the bird is much overlooked, 

 especially in the central districts, there can be no doubt, 

 but the observant person may detect it in almost every 

 nook where it can possibly find food and shelter. It is 

 a resident in probably all the London parks, and there 

 must be few suburban gardens or shrubberies worthy of 

 the name in which it does not dwell or which it does not 

 visit at one time or another. I know of small gardens in 

 London which are visited regularly by the Hedge Accentor 

 in winter only. A friend of mine told me that a bird 

 of this species has visited his garden regularly for several 

 years, remaining all the winter through, disappearing in 

 spring. This is a common trait of the Robin also, and 

 many other small birds. In some cases these individuals 

 may be migrants from other lands, and then the incident 

 becomes even more interesting. 



The Hedge Accentor becomes far more localised in 

 summer, simply because suitable breeding-places are 

 restricted. There are many spots in the London area 

 where this bird can and does pick up a living during the 

 winter, but which for various reasons are quite un- 

 suitable for nesting purposes. Almost any kind of cover 



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