In 2021, more than one million people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch, all coming together to look out for birds. Why not join in and be one in a million for 2022?

It’s easy to do Big Garden Birdwatch. Simply choose an hour between 28th and 30th January and count the birds that you see land in your garden, local park, or from your balcony. Then tell the RSPB what you saw.

Birds of Conservation Concern

Shockingly, we’ve lost 38 million birds from UK skies in the last 50 years, so it really is vital that we do all we can to look after our birdlife.

More birds than ever before were placed on the Red list of greatest conservation concern in the latest report, published in 2021. At 70 species long, the Red list is nearly double the length of the first report in 1996, showing that even more of our birds are in trouble.

The swift, house martin, and greenfinch all moved onto the Red list because of population declines, joining other well known birds such as puffins and cuckoos.

More birds that migrate to Africa for the winter seem to be faring less well, while there has been no improvement in the status of farmland or upland birds; indeed, more such species have been Red listed. Waterbirds that spend the winter in the UK have declined in numbers, resulting in the goldeneye, smew, Bewick’s swan, and dunlin all moving to the Red list.

But it’s not all bad news: dedicated conservation action has helped the white-tailed eagle move from Red to Amber.

Why is the Big Garden Birdwatch in Winter?

Because that’s the time of the year garden birds need us most – if it’s really cold, it’s likely more birds will come into our gardens looking for shelter and food. This makes it easier to count the birds. Because the Birdwatch takes place at the same time every year, we can look back through the years to see if anything has changed.

Make a Difference

As a conservation charity, the RSPB depend on your support to save nature and to look after places where wildlife can thrive. By taking part in Big Garden Birdwatch, you can also make a difference. Wherever you are, whatever you see, it counts!

Big Garden Birdwatch is for everyone, whether you are a complete beginner or a birding expert. It’s easy to do Big Garden Birdwatch. Simply choose an hour between 28th and 30th January and count the birds that you see land in your garden, local park, or from your balcony. Then tell the RSPB what you saw.