Fairly common to common but unobtrusive, found in a variety of open scrubby and wooded habitats, from low bleak heathland to parks, gardens, and farmland with hedges. Usually seen as singles or pairs, hopping on lawns or paths with distinctive shuffling gait. Appearance rather drab but distinctive: note slender, thrush-like bill (not stout, like superficially similar sparrows), blue-gray head sides, streaked back. Undistinguished, slightly tinny, rambling song has an even, warbled cadence; distinctive when learned.