Look after the birds

Across the country large numbers of winter thrushes, fieldfares and redwings are turning up on lawns as the temperature plummets.

These birds are often mistaken for the song thrush, which can be found in gardens all year round, as they look very similar.

Sadly the more familiar song thrush, together with winter visitors fieldfares and redwings, are all on the conservation status red list and are under threat as numbers have declined dramatically.

The popular song thrush can be spotted in our gardens throughout the year and has a brown back and spotted breast. It has a beautiful and loud song and likes to eat snails.

When the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch began in 1979, the song thrush was the 10th most seen bird in gardens across the country. But from the latest citizen survey results, numbers have declined by 77%.

RSPB wildlife adviser Charlotte Ambrose says: “At this point in winter much of the natural food supply will

have been used up. So these hungry birds have moved into gardens for food, water and shelter.

“You can help these beautiful visitors get through this cold snap by putting out fruit such as apples and pears. Remember they’ll need water too, so keep your bird bath topped up.”

Up to half a million people are expected to watch and count their garden birds for this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch over the last weekend in January 2020. To find out more, visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch