About |
History of Big Garden Birdwatch
In the late 1970s, we asked our junior membership to count the birds in their garden - over the same weekend. This 'one-off' idea was so successful that it has been a regular event since 1979, and grown into the world's biggest survey of its kind. The Big Garden Birdwatch is open to everyone in the UK - all we ask is for you to count the birds in your garden or local park for one hour over a weekend in January. Thanks to its simplicity and the small time commitment needed from participants, the Big Garden Birdwatch has grown year on year. In 2001, the event was officially opened up to everyone, and more than 55,000 people took part. For its 25th anniversary in 2004 this number rose to a record breaking 419,000 people, and more than 450,000 participants took part in 2006. With so many people taking part, we are able to gather important data, which helps us understand more about the population trends of UK garden birds. As the survey method has remained the same since 1979, the results gathered provide vital scientific data and are an extremely valuable record of garden birds in the UK over the years. The survey has recorded the huge declines in some of our most familiar birds. Since 1979, the number of house sparrows counted has fallen by 56%, the number of starlings by 76% and blackbird numbers are down by 44%. The results can also be used to record regional differences between birds in gardens. In 2006, the blue tit was the second most common bird recorded in Wales, whilst across the whole of the UK the starling was in second place. Take part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2009 on 24-25 January and join thousands of people around the UK who will be watching the birds in their gardens. |
