Big Garden Birdwatch - help nature and yourself

This weekend (26, 27 and 28 January) the RSPB is inviting people across Scotland to spend a relaxing hour reconnecting with nature by taking part in the world’s biggest garden wildlife survey.

Last year over 36,000 people took part in Scotland, counting more than 670,000 birds.

For the RSPB it provides an invaluable snapshot of the health of Scotland’s most common bird populations.

During the Covid pandemic, and especially through lockdown, research showed that nature provided a vital outlet to many people seeking some calm during a stressful and worrying time.

However, a recent report published by the Office of National Statistics’ UK natural capital accounts (UK natural capital accounts - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)) revealed that since 2020 we have reverted to our previous habits and over a million fewer people are now spending time in nature and are therefore missing out on the proven mental health benefits of being immersed in our amazing natural world.

So this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch is an opportunity to reconnect with nature and help the UK’s birds when they most need it too.

Every winter, remaining berries and seedheads, helped by feeders and bird tables, become an important source of food for many of our best known and loved birds as usual food sources become harder to find. Which means homes and gardens that are offering bird food in particular have a wonderful opportunity to see flashes of colour as they help our wildlife through the winter.

Taking part could not be simpler. Watch the birds on your balcony, in your garden or in your local green space for one hour at some point over the three days. Only count the birds that land, not those flying over. Tell us the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time – not the total you see in the hour.

Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland said: “This year we want to use the Big Garden Birdwatch as a reminder of the well proven physical and mental health benefits of taking the time to reconnect with the nature. This comes at a time when it has never been more important for us to continue to come together to call on our political leaders to make sure nature recovery is a priority in Scotland.

“Daily walks during lockdown were a lifeline to so many, as more of us than ever were reconnecting with nature in what was such an incredibly difficult period. So it’s worrying to see fewer people are now spending time in nature, missing out on the benefits that come with this, as we are also faced with more and more concerning reports charting the staggering loss of wildlife across the UK.

“Many of the amazing garden birds people will be counting this weekend are in decline. There are 38 million fewer birds in our skies than half a century ago, and despite being one of the most numerous birds since the Big Garden Birdwatch started in 1979, the number of house sparrows spotted in gardens has dropped by a staggering 57%. Last year’s results also saw significant declines in Scotland of blue tits, great tits and coal tits, all species which are susceptible to harsh weather conditions, compared with the previous year.

“So, whether you’re coorying down for your count from a cosy living room, or getting wrapped up and heading to your local park with pals, join us on what is undoubtedly one of my favourite weekends of the year. The thought of hundreds of thousands of us across Scotland taking part in this much-loved event, enjoying, embracing and learning about our wonderful birds is just so heartening. So have fun folks, our garden birds really are counting on us.”

Dr Amir Khan, president of the RSPB said: “In such troubling times, spending time watching and feeding the birds that visit my garden is one of the purest joys of life, especially when my favourite bird, the Bullfinch appears. Not only does it allow me to connect with nature, but quite simply, when we're looking after nature, we're looking after ourselves.

“Taking a moment out of my busy life to enjoy the birds that visit my garden is incredibly beneficial for my mental health, helping to increase serotonin, known as the happy brain chemical, which lifts my mood and reduces stress levels. That's something I’m sure we all need right now. So, I’d encourage everyone who can to take part in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch, whether in a garden, a balcony or a local green space. It’s fun, free and for everyone, and the perfect way to spend an hour reconnecting with our precious, yet fragile wildlife.”

This year’s event marks 45 years since the first Big Garden Birdwatch. Starting in 1979, it has since become a much-loved annual citizen science event, that gives the RSPB a valuable snapshot of how our garden birds are doing in the UK. Over that time, 185 million birds have been counted and nearly 11.5 million hours spent watching and counting garden birds.

take part in Big Garden Birdwatch

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