Fears for future of greenfinches

Greenfinches have suffered a rapid and continuing decline this year and could be heading for the “red list” of species at greatest risk.

The bird has declined by 59 per cent in the United Kingdom in just 10 years, with numbers dropping even more dramatically recently.

This has been caused by a widespread and severe outbreak of a disease called trichomonosis, which first affected bird populations in 2006.

In contrast, one species doing particularly well is the chiffchaff. Record numbers of this small green warbler were caught by bird ringers as the species benefits from warmer winters.

These latest figures were revealed in the British Trust for Ornithology’s 20th annual Birdtrends report, which gathers data from thousands of volunteer “citizen scientists” who each year record the birds on their patch. Samantha Herbert