If you're a nature fan, get involved in the annual Big Garden Birdwatch! (By Evie, 13)

If you're a nature fan, get involved in the annual Big Garden Birdwatch!  (By Evie, 13)
Image credit Tina Nord - Supplied by Pexels.com

By Evie, 13, Jill Dando News Correspondent

The Big Garden Birdwatch is an annual event which has been around since 1979; 46 years running!

In the UK, over 600,000 people were involved in 2024. This is an event created completely for the enjoyment and pleasure of bird spotting and with the effort of everyone taking part, we managed to spot a whopping 9.7 million birds!

The most spotted birds from last year were the House Sparrows (there were 1,442,300 of this species spotted); however, the count of this species has gone down by 60% from the first Birdwatch in 1979. 

Part of the survey is identifying the birds and their special songs!

It can be very difficult to define the birds as they can be quick and don’t tend to stay still for long periods of time so a few helpful tips from the Big Garden Birdwatch website are:

To check their size, body silhouette, shape (beak, legs and feet), colour and markings, behaviour, habitat and finally, the time of year that they are around. 

Unfortunately, The UK has lost 38 million birds in the last 60 years as a result of the challenges that birds have to face such as intensive farming practises.

This Big Garden Birdwatch is extremely important to participate in as it helps us keep count of the birds and compare them to past responses.

The Birdwatch takes place between the 24th-26th January and is free for all! If you would be interested in signing up or need more information, click here!

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