Watching birds and hearing birdsong have a positive impact on wellbeing for more than nine in 10 people, according to a survey to mark the largest garden wildlife count in the world.
People are being urged to boost their mental health and help scientists by spending an hour this weekend counting the birds in their garden or local park for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.
Almost 700,000 people took part last year, counting more than 11 million birds, with the house sparrow the most commonly seen garden visitor, followed by the blue tit and starling.
RSPB ornithologists fear the recent cold snap in Britain may affect this year’s sightings, with harsh weather increasing the mortality of the smallest birds, such as long-tailed tits and wrens. Cold conditions may also encourage less frequent garden visitors to turn up at bird feeders, including redpolls and bramblings.
A YouGov poll commissioned by the RSPB found that 88% of UK adults said spending time outdoors enjoying the natural world was important to them, with 53% stating it was very important, while 91% agreed that seeing birds and hearing birdsong had a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.
Spending time in woodlands, wetlands and other natural spaces has been shown by various studies to improve mental health and wellbeing.
Dr Amir Khan, the president of the RSPB, said: “Working as a GP, I know just how important accessing green spaces is for our physical and mental wellbeing. Watching the blue tits and bullfinches enjoying the feeders in my garden is a constant source of comfort for me, and being on the frontline of the NHS I am very aware that comfort is something we all need now more than ever.”
Over four decades, Big Garden Birdwatch has alerted scientists to rises and falls in bird species. Last year’s sightings data pointed to a revival for the disease-hit greenfinch, while over the decades the survey also first noted the precipitous decline in song thrushes, which are down 81% compared with the first Big Garden Birdwatch in 1979. It was 20th in the rankings last year, seen in just 8% of gardens.
Beccy Speight, the chief executive of the RSPB, said: “Whatever you see – one blackbird, 20 sparrows or no birds at all – it all counts. It helps us build that vital overall picture of how our garden birds are faring from one year to the next. With so much challenging our birds now, it’s more important than ever to submit your results. Our garden birds are counting on you.”
