RSPB Warns of Alarming Garden Bird Decline as UK Starling Numbers Hit Record Low
UK Starling Numbers Plummet to Record Low, RSPB Survey Reveals
Starlings, famed for their mesmerizing murmurations and iridescent feathers, have hit a historic low in UK gardens, according to the RSPB’s 2025 Big Garden Birdwatch. Once a regular top contender, starlings now rank fourth, overtaken by woodpigeons, whose numbers have surged by 1,160% since 1979. House sparrows and blue tits hold the top spots, but starling sightings have plummeted by 85% over the past 46 years, landing them on the UK’s red list for conservation concern.
Hundreds of thousands of starlings form aerial displays in Cumbria, a sight increasingly at risk.
Why Are Starlings Disappearing?
Starlings, smaller than blackbirds with glossy purple-green plumage, face threats from habitat loss, intensive farming, and climate change. These factors reduce nesting sites and food sources like leatherjackets. The RSPB urges gardeners to avoid pesticides, maintain natural lawns for foraging, and install nest boxes with 45mm entrances to support recovery.
2025 Birdwatch Highlights
Nearly 600,000 participants counted 9 million birds in January. Key findings:
- House sparrows topped the list (3.55 sightings per garden).
- Blue tits followed, seen in 75% of gardens.
- Robins were the most widespread (84.1% of gardens) but are declining.
- Woodpigeons surged to third place, while magpies and coal tits also saw significant rises.
House sparrows remain the UK’s most spotted garden bird.
Broader Conservation Crisis
One in six UK species faces extinction. Five seabirds—Leach’s storm-petrel, common gull, great black-backed gull, Arctic tern, and great skua—recently joined the red list, alongside kittiwakes and puffins. RSPB’s Beccy Speight emphasizes that reversing declines requires collective action: “Governments, businesses, and individuals must restore habitats and protect ecosystems.”
How to Help
- Plant native shrubs for insects.
- Provide fresh water and bird feeders.
- Advocate for policies addressing climate change and habitat loss.
Woodpigeons thrive amid changing environments, unlike struggling starlings.
With urgent efforts, the UK’s iconic starlings—and other vulnerable species—could once again flourish in our skies.
Top 10 Garden Birds (2025):
- House sparrow
- Blue tit
- Woodpigeon
- Starling
- Blackbird
- Robin
- Great tit
- Goldfinch
- Magpie
- Long-tailed tit
Data: RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch
Images: Daily Mail/RSPB
