BRIGHTON and Hove’s most common garden birds have been revealed.

The city’s feathered friends were counted on the last weekend of January as part of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

Starlings, blackbirds and robins did well in 2017.

But blue tits and great tits saw their numbers drop 17% and 4% compared with the previous year.

Brighton and Hove's top three most common garden birds have all enjoyed a slight increase in numbers compared with last year.

Top bird was the house sparrow, followed by starling and pigeon.

Blackbirds and robins also enjoyed a rise in numbers this year.

RSPB officer Tim Webb said: “Gardens are an increasingly valuable resource for birds.

“They need food, water and shelter throughout the year and if we all provide these things in our outdoor spaces it will be a huge help to our garden birds, perhaps even playing a role in reversing some declines.

“We’re increasingly seeing rural birds in gardens and urban settings such as goldfinches.

“Our theory is that this behaviour change is because they are finding it easier to find food and shelter in gardens.”