Last year’s Big Garden Birdwatch saw an impressive turnout, with over 590,000 participants across the UK recording 9.1 million individual birds. While House Sparrows retained their position as the most commonly spotted garden visitor, the long-term picture reveals a troubling trend: populations of these once-ubiquitous birds have declined by 60% since the survey began in 1979.
This decline forms part of a broader pattern. Over the past six decades, the UK has lost 38 million birds from its skies, a stark reminder of the mounting pressures facing our avian communities. Habitat loss, changing agricultural practices, climate shifts, and reduced invertebrate abundance all contribute to these population trajectories.
The value of citizen science initiatives like the Birdwatch extends beyond simply counting what’s present. Absence data—the species we don’t see—provides equally crucial insights into range contractions, local extinctions, and shifting community composition. Each submitted survey, whether recording abundant species or noting conspicuous absences, contributes to our understanding of how garden bird assemblages are responding to environmental change.
As pressures on bird populations intensify, participatory monitoring becomes increasingly vital. The data gathered helps identify which species require targeted conservation intervention and tracks whether management strategies are working at a landscape scale.
Make sure you take your place in the 2026 survey!