RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results reveal a golden year for the goldfinch in Greater Manchester

The latest results from the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch have revealed a golden year for the goldfinch along with a number of other small birds after a surge in sightings in gardens across Greater Manchester.

Now in its 39^th year, the Birdwatch is a chance for people of all ages to count the number of birds that visit their garden, helping the RSPB build up a picture of how they are doing.

This year, more than 450,000 people across the country, including over 10,800 in Greater Manchester took part.

The event, held over the last weekend in January, revealed an increase in sightings of smaller birds, such as goldfinches, long-tailed tits and coal tits that can usually be seen visiting gardens and outside spaces in mixed flocks.

Recorded sightings of the brightly coloured, sociable finch rose by 7% on 2017 figures for Greater Manchester and its bright red face was seen in a third of gardens in the county.

Other small birds that are thought to have benefited from the mild January weather include long-tailed tits (+15%), coal tits (+3%), and chaffinches (+14%). Bucking the national trend, robin sightings were up 12% in Greater Manchester, compared to -12% nationally.

The influx of these species to gardens is thought to be linked to the favourable conditions during their successful breeding season in 2017. This, combined with the kind autumn and early winter weather in the run up to the Birdwatch in January, is thought to have contributed to the rise in sightings. 

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist, said: “Our garden birds are a part of our everyday life, whether it’s the robin perched on the garden fence or the flock of starlings you see on your way to work.

"To have hundreds of thousands of people spend an hour watching the wildlife in their garden isn’t only great to see, but it also helps us build up a picture of how our garden birds are doing, which is really helpful.

“Last summer was a really good year for many breeding birds with warm weather creating great conditions for many smaller birds to raise their young to adulthood. The rise in sightings of goldfinches, long-tailed tits and coal tits, along with chaffinches and greenfinches nationally, goes to show that in the absence of cold weather they can survive the winter months in good numbers. Looking at the results it is likely that across the UK this is what people saw in their garden.”

The survey also highlighted a dip in the number of recorded sightings of blackbirds (-11%), and wrens (-6%) on last year’s figures for Greater Manchester. 

Dr Hayhow explained: “We all will have noticed that the weather earlier in the winter was slightly warmer than we’re used to, and our garden birds have felt this too.

"It’s usual for there to be more food available in the wider countryside during a mild winter meaning birds are less reliant on the treats we put out on the garden feeders.

"However, unlike the finches and tits, robins and wrens did not have a good breeding season in 2017 and data from other surveys indicate that their numbers may be down overall this year.”

The house sparrow remained at the top of the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings as the most commonly seen garden birds with over three per garden recorded in Greater Manchester throughout the weekend. Starling held the second spot, with the blackbird rounding off the top three.

Throughout the first half of the spring term the nation’s school children took part in the RSPB’s Big Schools Birdwatch. The survey of birds in school grounds saw almost 1,140 school children in Greater Manchester spend an hour in nature counting the birds. The magpie was top of the Big Schools Birdwatch rankings, with one being spotted in 84% of schools in the county.