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Researchers seek armchair birdwatchers The British Trust for Ornithology wants to recruit armchair birdwatchers to help monitor the changing fortunes of birds using gardens across Britain & Ireland. October 30 is ‘Feed the Birds Day’, the day when the RSPB asks people to fill a feeder and give birds a helping hand. This year, researchers at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) want people to go a bit further than simply providing food. They are asking garden birdwatchers to keep a simple record of which species are visiting their gardens. The Trust’s BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch project already involves some 17,000 people nationwide, making it the largest year-round study of garden birds anywhere in the World. As Mike Toms, Garden BirdWatch Organiser, notes “Simple recording of the species that use gardens can be done from the comfort of your armchair or while washing up. The information gathered by this army of ‘citizen scientists’ has already proved invaluable in helping us understand how birds use gardens and why their numbers change throughout the year and from one year to the next.” Garden BirdWatch results show that gardens become much busier in November, as birds respond to falling temperatures, shortened daylight and declining food stocks within the wider countryside. It’s also a time of year when immigrants from Scandinavia and central Europe join our resident Starling, finch and thrush populations. Mike Toms continues, “Our research shows that some two dozen species of birds are attracted to gardens where food is provided. The provision of food, coupled with good hygiene practices, can potentially make a real difference to the over-winter survival of many different species. Garden BirdWatch results have shown the dramatic impact that cold winters can have and, if the experts are right, this winter may turn out to be particularly severe, making garden feeding stations all the more important.” To learn more about garden birds, and to receive an information sheet on feeding garden birds, write to GBW (FTB), FREEPOST, Norfolk, IP24 2BR, by phoning 01842-750050, by emailing gbw@bto.org or by visiting www.bto.org/gbw Results from the BTO/CJ
Garden BirdWatch show the top ten garden birds in the last week
of October to be (average figures for 1995-2003): Notes for editors 1. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch is the only nationwide survey of garden birds to run weekly throughout the year, providing important information on how birds use gardens, and how this use changes over time. For more information see www.bto.org/gbw 2. An army of volunteers. Some 17,000 people take part in Garden BirdWatch nationwide and record the birds using their gardens from week to week. 3. Local Birds. Garden birdwatchers can discover which birds are likely to be found in their gardens by visiting www.postcodebirds.bto.org and entering their postcode. 4. Garden BirdWatch. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch is funded by participants' contributions and supported by CJ WildBird Foods Ltd and is the largest year round survey of garden birds anywhere in the World. 5. Colour photographs. Colour photographs of garden birds are available from the BTO Image Library for use in association with this press release. Please contact images@bto.org to request an electronic version. 6. Regional Figures. Regional figures can be prodsuced if requested. 7. Contacts. Mike Toms
(Garden BirdWatch Organiser) Graham Appleton
(BTO Press Officer) BTO Digital
Image Library
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