Fersiwn Gymraeg ar gael yma
The Big Garden Birdwatch 2025 results are in. The House Sparrow emerged victorious once again as the most-seen bird over the weekend, with the Blue Tit in second and Starling in third. The Robin climbed one place to fifth, taking the Great Tit down a place to sixth. The Goldfinch, which has seen great increases in the last decade, dropped out of the top ten for the first time in several years, making way for the Magpie to re-enter in tenth spot after missing out last year at eleventh.
But while changes to the top spots were minimal, the drop in number of one of our most well-known species is something which should cause concern according to RSPB Cymru.
A bird which has seen a significant drop in Wales and across the UK is the Starling, a regular to gardens in urban and rural settings alike. Famous for their magical murmuration’s where hundreds or even thousands of birds fly in concert making stunning patterns across the sky, Starling numbers have seen continuous declines across Europe. And this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch results shows Wales recording the lowest average count for Starling since national records began.
Julian Hughes, Head of Species at RSPB Cymru, said:
"Most of the Starlings we see in the winter, which thrill people as they fly into an evening roost, come here from northeastern Europe, in search of a milder climate and food. Long-term numbers have fallen across Europe by 60% because of agricultural changes, so there are fewer to see in Wales.”
However, there are things that nature lovers can do to help them. Birds such as the Starling and Blackbird like to forage for insects and other prey. Keeping lawns natural is a great way to help numbers thrive. They also like to find shelter to nest in crevasses of old buildings, but with more and more renovation and demolition of these buildings, Starlings, just like our much-loved Swifts, are finding it more difficult to find a home. Putting up nestboxes, ideally facing between north and east with a 45mm hole entrance, can provide them with much needed ready-made nesting sites.
Julian Hughes continued:
“In Wales, we have lost two-thirds of our breeding Starlings in less than 30 years, putting them on the Welsh Red List as one of the species with the largest declines. Breeding Starlings have disappeared from large areas of West Wales in particular, and now we are seeing fewer in gardens in winter. It may be evidence of climate change in our own backyards if fewer Starlings are travelling here in winter.”
Despite storm Eowyn, 25,791 people took part across Wales, returning 15,880 surveys and counting an amazing 502,321 birds. And while the weather will have had an impact on garden visitors, there is no doubt that this year’s results provide a stark reminder that the Starling’s plight is reflective of the broader nature emergency in Wales.
Alun Prichard, RSPB Cymru director said:
“We’re really pleased that so many people gave an hour of their time over the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend, regardless of the bad weather - ensuring that we can get a clear snapshot of how Wales’ garden birds are faring. The numbers don’t lie. We’re seeing further declines in some birds that we can often take for granted; and the urgent need to act in order to reverse these declines has never been stronger. We’re in a nature emergency – Welsh Government has made ambitious commitments to restore nature but is slow in delivering. We need long sought for policies like the Nature Positive Bill to be delivered at pace. Nature simply cannot wait.”