Conservation
Many of the UK's birds are under pressure from habitat loss, climate change, and intensive farming. Learn which species need help and what you can do from your own garden.
Plant native hedges
Hawthorn, blackthorn, and hazel provide berries, nesting cover, and insect food for birds year-round.
Provide fresh water
A shallow dish or bird bath helps birds drink and bathe, especially during dry spells and freezing winters.
Avoid pesticides
Insects are the main food source for many chicks. Reduce spraying to let caterpillars and aphids thrive.
Put up nest boxes
Different entrance sizes attract different species. A 25mm hole suits tits; a 32mm hole suits sparrows and flycatchers.
Feed all year
Winter feeding helps survival, but summer feeding can support parents feeding chicks. Offer a mix of seeds, nuts, and suet.
Keep cats in at dawn
Ground-feeding and nesting birds are most vulnerable at dawn and dusk. Keeping cats indoors at these times saves lives.
Species under pressure
These species face particular challenges in the United Kingdom. Their entries explain the conservation issues and how you can support them.
Common Kingfisher
Vulnerable to harsh winters and river pollution; protected by law in the UK.
Tawny Owl
Widespread but sensitive to habitat loss; nest boxes can help in managed woods.
House Sparrow
Conservation concern in some cities; plant dense hedges and provide nest boxes.
Common Cuckoo
Red-listed due to dramatic population declines; needs host species like reed warblers and dunnocks.
Eurasian Skylark
Red-listed; needs insect-rich, undisturbed grassland for nesting.
Eurasian Wren
Widespread and numerous; cold winters can cause local declines.
Song Thrush
Red-listed; population declines linked to pesticide use and habitat loss.
Common Starling
Red-listed; needs old buildings and nest boxes for breeding cavities.
Long-tailed Tit
Widespread but vulnerable to cold winters; mild weather helps numbers.
Carrion Crow
Common and increasing; control of predation near vulnerable ground-nesting birds is sometimes debated.
Yellowhammer
Red-listed; numbers fell sharply with intensive farming. Hedgerow planting and winter stubbles help.
Little Owl
Widespread but declines in some areas; benefits from old trees, hedgerows and rough grassland.
Red Kite
Reintroduction success story; still vulnerable to illegal poisoning in some areas.
Eurasian Curlew
Red-listed; breeding numbers have fallen steeply due to habitat loss and predation pressures.
Black-headed Gull
Amber-listed; inland breeding colonies have declined, though winter numbers remain high.
Atlantic Puffin
Amber-listed in the UK; colonies are vulnerable to food shortages, climate change and disturbance at nesting sites.
Grey Wagtail
Amber-listed; declines in some upland areas linked to water quality.
Mistle Thrush
Amber-listed; numbers have declined, partly due to habitat changes.
Reed Warbler
Common in southern reedbeds; sensitive to reedbed management and water levels.
Turtle Dove
Red-listed; one of the UK's fastest declining birds, needing flower-rich habitats for seed food.
Common Tern
Amber-listed; colonies are vulnerable to disturbance, flooding and predation.
Herring Gull
Red-listed; populations have fallen due to reduced food availability and persecution.
Every garden counts
You don't need a nature reserve to make a difference. A small garden with native plants, fresh water, and a year-round feeding station can support dozens of birds and help reverse local declines.