Starlings, house sparrows and blackbirds must surely rate as among the best known birds in the country. So why aren't more people concerned that they're in decline?
These three species are among the most common garden visitors in London, reflecting their large numbers. Published this week the State of the UK's Birds 2006 reports the long-term trend of their populations is downwards (down 72%, 64% and 17% comparing 1970 figures with 2005 respectively).
As if that's not enough, ask a primary school child to draw you a duck and, if it's not a cartoon character, I bet it looks like a mallard (down 32%). These winter migrants, along with pochard (down 23%) and goldeneye (down 8% in the last decade) are also failing to flourish. What's going wrong?
The report doesn't give specific reasons. Life is more complicated than that and there is a range of factors that come in to play; from chemicals in the environment, lack of food and shelter to climate change. Whatever the reasons, it's invariably as a result of human actions. If there was more concern about this I'm sure our daily papers would be full of demands for government action. Here's an idea, let's not wait for the papers, let's get on with quietly investigating and resolving the issue. Here are ten top tips that you can adopt:
1 Reduce your consumption2 Recycle more3 Garden for wildlife4 Convince your employer to reduce energy consumption at work5 Find novel uses for the rubbish you normally throw out6 Compost food waste7 Join, volunteer or make a donation to the RSPB8 Walk or cycle for short journeys9 Swap traditional lightbulbs for energy efficient ones10 Wear an extra layer when it gets chilly or cuddle a friend!
See, it's not all sackcloth and sacrifice.
Other London birds that are vanishing from our parks, waterways and gardens include cuckoos, tree sparrows, song thrushes, dunnocks, moorhens, turtle doves and kestrels. Bitterns, the incredibly shy and well camouflaged member of the heron family that lives in reedbeds is now down to an estimated 44 breeding males in the whole of the UK. If you're lucky you can get to see, or more likely hear, one in the Lee Valley in north-east London.
Our Capital is growing in importance for one particular bird that you can easily spot from our free telescope viewing point outside the Tate Modern. Peregrines are increasingly turning to urban settings with our tall buildings, warm micro-climates and plentiful numbers of pigeons to eat. These amazing birds of prey are the fastest living creatures on earth.
This last week I was privileged to meet a young boy who loves peregrines so much his parents had brought him to London to visit the Natural History Museum to see a stuffed one in a glass display case. Little did they know that a stroll along the southbank would present them with an opportunity to see not one, not two, but THREE living, wild specimens. He arrived in time to see the male and female plus one of their four juveniles all sitting on the Tate chimney. I've rarely seen anyone so overcome and pleased. His eyes welled up and a huge grin puffed up his cheeks and seemed to stretch from ear to ear. It was infectious.
Almost enough to make you forget the falling numbers of other birds? Of course not, but a great reminder of the enjoyment we can all get from nature and the loss we would all experience should we ever let it fade away.