London's garden birds population show dramatic changes

  • London
Blackbird Turdus merula. Credit: Ray Kennedy/rspb-images

London's soundscape is changing with seven out of the capital's top ten most common garden birds dropping in population over the last decade, a new study has revealed.

The research, from RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, found that the number of robins and blackfinches have decreased but the volume of goldfinches have grown rapidly in 30 of the 32 London boroughs.

Other changes in London boroughs include:

Barking and Dagenham

  • House sparrows were recorded as the top bird in the borough in 2014, but they were found in 45 per cent fewer gardens compared to a decade ago

  • Of the top ten most common species, eight are in decline with a quarter fewer blackbirds reported from the borough's gardens this year compared with 2013

Barnet

  • Starlings have seen their numbers more than halve in the borough over the past decade

  • House sparrow numbers recovered since last year's Big Garden Birdwatch but their populations have dropped by a fifth since 2005

  • Goldfinches are the borough's new garden stars, making it into the top ten for the first time ever

Bexley

  • The borough's blue tits have taken the largest drop over the last decade, with more than 40 per cent of their population vanishing from gardens

  • The top three most common garden birds are the house sparrow, starling and woodpigeon

Brent

  • Goldfinches and blackbirds are the only top ten most common species to have grown in population in the last decade with all others in decline

  • There have been suggestions that there is not enough food or shelter to support species

Bromley

  • The number of starlings recorded has dropped by almost two-thirds over the last decade

  • Blue tits, woodpigeons and house sparrows take the top three positions

Camden

  • Blackbirds have dropped by 45 per cent since 2005 while the numbers of feral pigeons have increased by over 150 per cent

  • RSPB suggests the borough could benefit "from more greenery and street trees to link fragmented habitats and help reduce pollution from its busy roads"

Croydon

  • House sparrows are down 42 per cent compared with results from 2005, while starlings are down 48 per cent

  • Blackbirds are also disappearing from the borough's gardens, with their numbers down 29 per cent over the decade

House sparrow, Passer domesticus, male, perched. Credit: Ray Kennedy/rspb-images

Ealing

  • Except from the feral pigeon, all of the borough's top ten birds have decreased

  • Starlings have seen the steepest drop, down 49 per cent while Sparrows dropped by 42 per cent and blackbirds by 38 per cent

Enfield

  • Over the past 10 years, all of the top ten birds in Ealing have suffered a decline in numbers

  • Starlings have vanished faster than other species with a 48 per cent drop

Greenwich

  • One in every five gardens has fewer house sparrows and one in every four has fewer blackbirds

  • The variety and number of birds commonly found in gardens in Greenwich has dropped over the past decade, expect from the feral pigeon

Hackney

  • Numbers of blackbirds and starlings have dropped by 36 per cent and 13 per cent respectively since 2005 while robins have declined by 22 per cent

Hammersmith and Fulham

  • Goldfinches have increased 25 per cent since 2005

  • However, all other garden birds have disappeared with the number of starlings decreasing by 61 per cent in the period

Haringey

  • One in five gardens are now home to goldfinches while blackbirds have increased by 23 per cent

  • The house sparrow and starling have seen their numbers almost halve since 2005

Robin, Erithacus rubecula. Credit: Ray Kennedy/rspb-images

Harrow

  • Since 2005, starlings have suffered a 40 per cent decline and house sparrows a 32 per cent fall in numbers

Havering

  • The starling was found to be the most popular followed by house sparrows and woodpigeons

  • Garden birds have decreased with just just feral pigeons and blackbirds showing a rise in number

Hillingdon

  • The top three most common garden species - starling, blue tit and house sparrow - are all down in numbers compared with a decade ago

  • Blackbirds, feral pigeons and goldfinches did show some increase in numbers

Hounslow

  • Goldfinches have increased by 176 per cent over the last decade

  • However, seven out of the top ten most common garden birds have fallen

Islington

  • Pigeons have dropped in numbers while goldfinches, blackbirds and great tits have increased

  • RSPB suggested the borough's bird population is particularly susceptible to extreme weather conditions

Kensington and Chelsea

  • Starlings and house sparrows have declined by 90 per cent and 75 per cent respectively

  • Gardens do appear to be attracting small birds to the area

A Magpie standing among red berries. Credit: Paul Chesterfield/rspb-images

Kingston-upon-Thames

  • Goldfinches, blackbirds and ring necked parakeets are on the increase, but sparrows, starlings blue tits, robins, magpies and even pigeons have all suffered population declines

Lambeth

  • Starlings have suffered a 65 per cent decline over the past ten years

  • Numbers of goldfinches have rocketed with a 663 per cent increase

A great tit perched on a branch. Credit: Rspb-images

Lewisham

  • Three of the top five most common birds have declined over the past 10 years

  • The house sparrow has declined by 17 per cent while the numbers of blue tits fell by 20 per cent

Merton

  • Feral pigeons are the borough's second most common garden visitors and their numbers have risen by 33 per cent over 10 years

  • Starlings suffered the biggest drop of 61 per cent

A Coal Tit sitting on a feeder. Credit: Chris Gomersall/rspb-images

Newham

  • Every single top ten bird species is seen in fewer gardens now than they were 10 years ago

  • The number one bird, the house sparrow, has seen its population drop 39 per cent in that period while second placed starlings are down 58 per cent

Redbridge

  • The borough has lost half of its starlings in the past ten years

  • But goldfinches have increased by 548 per cent in the period

Richmond

  • Blue Tits dropped by 27 per cent compared with results from 2005 while starlings have fallen by the same figure

  • Starlings have slumped by 57 per cent and house sparrows by 48 per cent

A woodpigeon on a bird table. Credit: Rspb-images

Southwark

  • The borough has lost more than half its starlings over the past 10 years

  • The most common bird is the blue tit, with the house sparrow in second place

Sutton

  • Sutton lost 33 per cent of its house sparrows and 52 per cent of its starlings over the past decade

  • Conservationists have called for a greater number of wildflower meadows, hedges and trees in the borough

Carrion crow Corvus corone, perched on a wall. Credit: Rspb-images

Tower Hamlets

  • House sparrows have lost 19 per cent of their population since 2005 while the number of feral pigeons fell by 21 per cent

  • Two species have grown considerably over the decade with goldfinches up 680 per cent and carrion crows by 306 per cent

Waltham Forest

  • Eight of the ten most common garden birds have suffered declines in their populations

  • Robins, doves and pigeons are down but magpies and blackbirds have increased

Blue tit Parus caeruleus. Credit: Rspb-images

Wandsworth

  • Since 2005, the borough's blue tit population has slumped 24 per cent

  • Blackbirds are up 59 per cent and goldfinches are swamping the borough with a 551 per cent increase

Westminster

  • House sparrows increased by 331 per cent but starlings continued their decline with a 11 per cent fall

There have been suggestions that the variations may have been due to this year's unpredictable weather, but RSPB London’s Tim Webb believes the long term changes reflect a bigger issue.

“London’s under a lot of development pressure with a desperate need for housing and improved infrastructure, but we cannot and should not allow nature to be forced out," Mr Webb said.

“Birds reflect a healthy environment; one where street trees, hedges and grassy areas are common - supporting urban wildlife and giving people much needed outdoor space."

For more information on the findings, visit the RSPB website