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Decking makes it a bad year for birds
The number of birds visiting our gardens and parks has plunged, a survey has revealed.
The decline follows a succession of mild winters and the growing popularity of paving and decking.
The latest figures from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds come from its annual Big Garden Birdwatch in January, when more than 960 Brighton residents spent an hour counting birds in their gardens and local parks.
The survey showed that the starling remains the city's most common garden visitor, followed by the house sparrow and then the blue tit.
However, numbers have fallen dramatically in four years.
In 2005 an average of 7.17 starlings, 5.4 house sparrows and 2.47 blue tits were spotted per garden in an hour.
This year birdwatchers recorded averages of just 3.46, 3.14 and 1.89 in an hour.
During mild winters, birds are able to find the nuts and seeds they need in the wild, and so do not have to stray into gardens.
The trend for decking robs gardens of valuable plants and insects.
An RSPB spokesman said: "If you don't have as much grass and plants, then you won't see as many birds."
Changes in farming techniques, a decline in hedgerows and increased used of pesticides may also have hit bird numbers.
But while there have been losers, some species that might normally shun our shores are attracted by the warmer conditions.
Four species of colourful finch - siskins, bramblings, redpolls and goldfinches - are making increasing visits to Sussex gardens while in Brighton and Hove the chaffinch ranked eighth - its first appearance in the top ten.
Dr Andrew Farrar of the RSPB said: 'It's definitely been a good winter for finches.
'The figures suggest that tree seed supplies have been poor this year and they've been forced into gardens to find food.'
Hester Phillips, from RSPB South East, said: "The survey findings help us to understand more about the population trends of garden birds.
"We predicted that last year's terrible weather would be reflected by the Big Garden Birdwatch and this seems to be the case, especially for blue tits.
"A snapshot of winter only gives part of the picture but this year's results also suggest a further fall in sparrow numbers in some areas.
"Our gardens can be very welcoming to finches, especially where people put out food and provide a wildlife area where thistles and teasels are left to grow which also provide food."
Would you welcome more diverse and colourful birds attracted by global warming - or would it be an environmental disaster?
12:43pm Wednesday 26th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: j williams, hove on 1:29pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Habitat destruction is not just about the loss of rainforests it is also about the loss of habitat for wildlife in our own country. Front and back gardens are important habitats for birds and the insects that form part of their food chain. People need to realise this and stop chopping down trees and mature shrubs that are birds roosting and nesting places. Since the beginning of this year I have seen a depressing number of mature gardens completely demolished to make way for low maintenance gardening. I don't think people think of the consequences to wildlife when they do this. It would be a disaster, if we lost our own wildlife. The common sparrow is hurtling towards the endangered list because of our actions. Organisations like the RSPB need to have more high profile campaigns to inform people of the damage they cause when paving over their gardens, and to make people aware that neat and tidy gardens with shrubs pruned back to the bear minimum will not encourage wildlife to thrive.
Habitat destruction is not just about the loss of rainforests it is also about the loss of habitat for wildlife in our own country. Front and back gardens are important habitats for birds and the insects that form part of their food chain. People need to realise this and stop chopping down trees and mature shrubs that are birds roosting and nesting places. Since the beginning of this year I have seen a depressing number of mature gardens completely demolished to make way for low maintenance gardening. I don't think people think of the consequences to wildlife when they do this. It would be a disaster, if we lost our own wildlife. The common sparrow is hurtling towards the endangered list because of our actions. Organisations like the RSPB need to have more high profile campaigns to inform people of the damage they cause when paving over their gardens, and to make people aware that neat and tidy gardens with shrubs pruned back to the bear minimum will not encourage wildlife to thrive.
Posted by: Paddy O' Furniture, Branch office on 2:02pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]j williams[/bold] wrote:
Habitat destruction is not just about the loss of rainforests it is also about the loss of habitat for wildlife in our own country. Front and back gardens are important habitats for birds and the insects that form part of their food chain. People need to realise this and stop chopping down trees and mature shrubs that are birds roosting and nesting places. Since the beginning of this year I have seen a depressing number of mature gardens completely demolished to make way for low maintenance gardening. I don't think people think of the consequences to wildlife when they do this. It would be a disaster, if we lost our own wildlife. The common sparrow is hurtling towards the endangered list because of our actions. Organisations like the RSPB need to have more high profile campaigns to inform people of the damage they cause when paving over their gardens, and to make people aware that neat and tidy gardens with shrubs pruned back to the bear minimum will not encourage wildlife to thrive. [/quote] I am totally against this tree-mendous mis-tweetment of our birds etc etc etc
j williams wrote:
Habitat destruction is not just about the loss of rainforests it is also about the loss of habitat for wildlife in our own country. Front and back gardens are important habitats for birds and the insects that form part of their food chain. People need to realise this and stop chopping down trees and mature shrubs that are birds roosting and nesting places. Since the beginning of this year I have seen a depressing number of mature gardens completely demolished to make way for low maintenance gardening. I don't think people think of the consequences to wildlife when they do this. It would be a disaster, if we lost our own wildlife. The common sparrow is hurtling towards the endangered list because of our actions. Organisations like the RSPB need to have more high profile campaigns to inform people of the damage they cause when paving over their gardens, and to make people aware that neat and tidy gardens with shrubs pruned back to the bear minimum will not encourage wildlife to thrive.
I am totally against this tree-mendous mis-tweetment of our birds etc etc etc
Posted by: john, Cyberspace on 2:11pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Paddy O'Heater[/bold] wrote:
I haven't decked a bird this year or any other year.[/quote] I went into B&Q yesterday. I was wandering around in the garden section,
when an assistant approached me. I said that I was looking
to create somewhere to sit out in the summer and admire my garden. He said that I needed decking. Reacting quickly for once, I managed to get the first decent punch in and that pretty much ended things.
Paddy O'Heater wrote:
I haven't decked a bird this year or any other year.
I went into B&Q yesterday. I was wandering around in the garden section,
when an assistant approached me. I said that I was looking
to create somewhere to sit out in the summer and admire my garden. He said that I needed decking. Reacting quickly for once, I managed to get the first decent punch in and that pretty much ended things.
Posted by: graham emms, cardiff on 4:04pm Wed 26 Mar 08
i drove a kestral hawk off the back of a song thrush in my garden but it died and the kestral just flew off i have seen it kill loads of birds[bold]bold[/bold]
i drove a kestral hawk off the back of a song thrush in my garden but it died and the kestral just flew off i have seen it kill loads of birds
Posted by: Donald Lyven, London on 9:57pm Sat 29 Mar 08
Oh, just visit [bold]www.sparrowsneedhedg
es.com[/bold] to find out more about bird decline.
Oh, just visit
www.sparrowsneedhedg
es.com to find out more about bird decline.
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