Fewer starlings than ever have been spotted by participants in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, raising fears for their numbers.
The bird conservation charity is urging Britain’s gardeners to keep their lawns wild by not cutting them too often, and to avoid the use of pesticides, which reduce the number of insects to eat and can poison birds.
Sparrows remained top of the chart of birds seen by the 600,000 people in the UK who took part in the survey, followed by the blue tit and the wood pigeon. The starling fell to fourth for the first time since the annual survey started in 1979.
Bird numbers dropped across the board: an average of 3.5 sparrows were seen in each garden this year, down from 4.0 last year; the number of blue tits decreased from 3.04 to 2.77; and starlings fell from 2.44 to 2.30.
Wild bird numbers continue to decline in the UK. Government statistics show populations are plummeting as a result of habitat loss, pesticide use, climate breakdown and bird flu. Overall, between 2018 and 2023, bird populations declined by 2% across the UK, and by 7% in England.
The RSPB’s chief executive, Beccy Speight, said: “Starlings are one of our most charismatic garden birds, but this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch results are a reason for concern. With one in six species at risk of extinction [in] Great Britain, we’ve done more damage to our natural world than we realise. However, we can all do our bit to support these threatened birds by taking small actions that can not only benefit starlings, but a wealth of other garden wildlife.”
Starlings like short grass as it lets them watch out for predators while feeding, so mowing the lawn occasionally is beneficial to them, the RSPB said, adding that keeping lawns natural with wildflower pollinators, such as dandelion and clover, allows the birds to forage for invertebrates. The charity also recommended putting up nest boxes with a 45mm (1.7in) entrance hole.
Birdwatch participants are asked to count the maximum number of each species recorded at their chosen location – mainly gardens but also parks or other green spaces – during a one-hour period over the last weekend in January. Some species have experienced a dizzying decline in abundance since the 1970s: the sparrow, for example, while remaining the most populous bird, has fallen in numbers by 54% since the survey started, while starlings have dropped 84% and greenfinches 67.9%.
Top 10 species in the 2025 Big Garden Birdwatch
1 House sparrow
2 Blue tit
3 Wood pigeon
4 Starling
5 Blackbird
6 Robin
7 Great tit
8 Goldfinch
9 Magpie
10 Long-tailed tit
