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Top 10

Here's how the UK's top 10 garden birds stand:

1. House sparrow

There were an average of 3.60 sparrows per garden. Although they stay at the top of the table, house sparrow numbers have fallen by 64% since 1979.

BGBW 2008 USE ONLY Male house sparrow standing on fence

2. Starling

An average of 3.44 starlings per garden and a decline of 77% since 1979. Starlings are noisy characters usually seen foraging in small flocks.

Starling on concrete

3. Blackbird

An average of 2.45 per garden, the blackbird moves up one place from last year.

D_2007_23134_0026 - Blackbird standing in long grass

4. Blue tit

Blue tits dropped one place this year with an average of 2.29 per garden. A decrease of 6% since 1979. An agile bird, the blue tit is most often seen flitting onto bird feeders. In winter, family flocks of blue tits are joined by great tits, long-tailed tits and other woodland species, as they search for food.

D_2007_21301_5581 - BGBW 2008 USE ONLY Blue tit on broken plant pot in garden

5. Chaffinch

With an average of 2.15 per garden, the chaffinch held its 5th position. Since 1979, numbers have fallen by 28%.

D_2006_11799_5552 - BGBW 2008 USE ONLY Female chaffinch standing on fench

6. Woodpigeon

An average of 1.53 per garden, the woodpigeon continues its success in the UK. It's increased by 665% since 1979. They are the largest of the pigeon family. In flight they have distinctive white wing patches and the tail has a dark band at the end.

BGBW 2008 USE ONLY Woodpigeon perched on fence

7. Collared dove

An average of 1.43 per garden, the collared dove drops a place from last year but has still enjoyed an increase of 411% since 1979. Collared doves originally came from southern Asia and spread from there to the extreme south-east of Europe. They were first recorded in Britain in 1953 and have since become a common garden bird throughout Great Britain and Ireland. 		Collared dove profile

8. Robin

An average of 1.26 per garden robins have climbed one place from last year, but we've still seen a decline of 37% since 1979. Robins are the only garden birds to sing throughout the winter, with both males and females holding winter territories.

D_2006_20445_0026 - Robin singing from tree

9. Great tit

Great tits enjoyed an increase in numbers of 39% since 1979, with an average of 1.25 seen per garden. Great tits feed on seeds and scraps either left on the ground, or on bird tables and in nut feeders.

D_2006_20438_0026 - Great tit perched on moss covered branch

10. Goldfinch

The biggest mover from 2007, an average of 1.16 goldfinches were recorded in gardens this year.

D_2006_10864_5581 - BGBW 2008 USE ONLY Male goldfinch in woodland