5 Birds You Can Spot In Your Garden

It's time for this year's Big Garden Bird Watch! Every year in January, the RSPB encourages people across the UK to sit and watch the birds for an hour and record their findings on the RSPB website. In celebration, we thought we'd run down some common birds you can find in your garden and what you can do to attract them!

5 Birds You Can Spot In Your Garden

House Sparrows

These birds are the most commonly sighted in the UK, largely because they thrive in both countryside and urban areas. There are more than 5 million breeding pairs across the country. House sparrows are also noisy, sociable birds and excellent scavengers, enjoying rubbish left by humans.

How to spot them

Small; males are chestnut brown with black markings and pale grey underparts; females and juveniles are brown with black markings, a pale-yellow stripe behind the eyes, and a pale chest; short chunky beak.

How to encourage them in your garden

These birds like berries, nuts, and household scraps, so make sure bird feeders are fully stocked. They prefer to nest near people, so nest boxes near your house are a great choice.

Blackbirds

Blackbirds are particularly fond of playgrounds, with 85% of schools reporting sightings of them on their grounds. They have an estimated population of 10-15 million birds and are the leading voice in the UK’s dawn chorus across the country.

How to spot them

Males are all black with a yellow bill and a ring around the eyes; females and juveniles are all brown with yellow bills and chest patterning.

How to encourage them in your garden

Blackbirds like fruits, plants, and insects, so consider planting fruit trees and shrubs in your garden, as well as leaving leaf litter on the ground for the birds to forage through.

Chaffinches

Chaffinches are the UK’s second most common bird you can spot in your garden. They were historically caught and caged as songbirds, with competitions even being held to see which bird would repeat its song the most. They also have regional accents to their song, just like us!

How to spot them

Chaffinches are often spotted near bird feeders. They have patterned feathers to blend in with the ground. You’ll usually hear them before you see them.

How to encourage them in your garden

They like seeds and insects, so make sure your bird feeders are well stocked with seeds. Consider leaving leaf litter in your garden for them to forage for insects.

Wood Pigeons

These birds tend to have a bad reputation as pests; they are much more than that. They are the most common breed of pigeon in the UK, and you can see them across the UK, especially in towns and cities. They may seem shy, but they are tame and approachable if you take your time.

How to spot them

They have a grey body, a pink chest, and a white patch on the neck.

How to encourage them in your garden

Like other birds in this list, they like grains, seeds, and leafy greens. So, make sure the bird feeders are full and that there are plenty of plants for them to feed on.

Magpies

These birds are very well known thanks to the popular rhyme: “one for sorrow, two for joy…” They’re very sociable and like to spend their time chattering with other birds. One myth about them is correct: they love decorating their nests with shiny objects!

How to spot them

They have a long, black, feathered tail and very recognisable black-and-white stripes on their bodies and wings.

How to encourage them in your garden

Magpies are omnivorous, so providing high-protein foods like mealworms and suet balls is a sure-fire way to get them interested in your garden.

Learn more about the Big Garden Bird Watch on the RSPB website.