OH DEAR OH DEAR,
I AM JUST AN OLD FOGIE - BUT WHY ON EARTH DO SOME PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE THE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH MORE DIFFICULT !
MANY BIRDS LOOK ALIKE - MALE OR FEMALE - ROBINS, COLLARED DOVES, WOOD PIGEONS, DOVES, JACKDAWS,PIGEONS ETC.,ETC.
THE MALES USUALLY ONLY STAND OUT WHEN THEY ARE PUFFING THEMSELVES UP & STRUTTING AROUND THE FEMALES !!!
Hi Rosie
Thanks for your comment, looks like you've had a bit of 'caps lock moment'!
For all of the species you have listed the sexes are similar so you cannot differentiate between male and female through casual observation. Just record the highest number of each species you see at any one time during the survey period. If you are commenting on the discussion about recording differently for species where the males and females look different then this is fine. For example if a male house sparrow turns up and leaves and then a female turns up a bit later, you can mark 2 down because you know that 2 different individual birds have used your garden.
I hope that helps!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.