Get your binoculars and clipboard at the ready – the Big Garden Birdwatch is back!

Run every year by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Big Garden Birdwatch helps us to understand how birds are doing in the UK. In the last 50 years, we’ve lots 38 million birds from UK skies so it’s vital that we monitor how birds are coping with ongoing challenges caused by the climate crisis.

Everyone can take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch – you don’t even need to have a garden! All you need is a spare hour to sit back and take note of how many birds you see coming down to land. Once you’ve got your numbers, visit the RSPB website to let them know what you saw. Whether you take part from your garden, a balcony with a bird feeder, or from a bench in the park, your sightings are really valuable information for the RSPB.

To make sure you get the most from your hour of birdwatching, be sure to prepare your patch in advance for any visitors. A topped up bird feeder and full bird bath will help entice birds into your space for you to count. The RSPB has lots of tips on how to attract birds for the birdwatch, and the rest of the year, on their website.

There are lots of different birds you might catch sight of during your birdwatching hour, from wood pigeons and robins, to the more rare sparrows and starlings So be sure to familiarise yourself with the different species you might see before your watch so you know what to note!

The Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place this year from 27 to 29 January. For all the information you need to take part, and to sign up, visit the RSPB website. Happy watching!