The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have reported that many species of birds in the United Kingdom continue to decline at an alarming rate. The once ubiquitous house sparrow saw a drop in numbers of over 17% on last year; it’s now an endangered species. Similarly the Green Finch took a pounding with recorded numbers down by 21% last year.
Results were collated after almost 590,000 people across the UK, including 75,000 pupils and teachers at schools, took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch in January.
Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said; “We know from the many people who take part in Big Garden Birdwatch every year that garden birds are incredibly precious to us and connect us to nature every day. I had the joy of doing the Birdwatch with my children again this year and, fidgeting aside, it was one of those memorable mornings when the family is captivated by nature. But, several of our familiar and best-loved species have been declining at alarming rates over the 34 years that the RSPB has been running the Birdwatch and this year’s results show a continuing decline.
“We go to great lengths to ensure that special UK habitats are given the right levels of designation and legal protection because of their role in supporting threatened wildlife, but what’s very clear is that every one of our gardens, the places literally on our doorsteps, are important too.”
Whilst the decline of some species continued, others fared better with garden sightings of siskins, fieldfares and jays up by as much as 85 per cent. The cold, harsh conditions in the wider countryside back in January is likely to have driven more of these birds into gardens on their search for food. Last year saw a particularly bad crop of acorns, a favourite among jays, meaning these birds are likely to have visited gardens more than normal during the winter to find alternative food sources.
Martin continued; “Gardens make up around 4 per cent of land area in the UK and their role as habitats for our wildlife is clear. They are the places that birds come to for food and shelter when conditions in the countryside are especially tough and together, we can all play a part in making them more welcoming and supportive for wildlife, whether we have a garden full of greenery, a yard or a window box.”
After starting my garden maintenance and landscaping business in 1984 and running it for 21 years I decided I needed a change of direction (probably a mid life crisis, no seriously! :-0) Together with my family, wife Donna, Son Henry and Daughter Fleur (not forgetting Hector the Black Labrador) I moved to France in search of an old farmhouse to renovate. In the interim period whilst waiting for the contract to go through I started writing a blog. Initially just to keep a diary for family and friends to keep up with our progress if they wished but then it occurred to me that there isn’t a real time watcher of the landscape industry in the UK. I didn’t want to waste my experience and experiences so I decided I could put all of this Juice to good use so I started Landscape Juice.
Source: Landscape Juice – British Bird Population Continues to Decline says RSPB – Philip Voice
