Our latest guidance
Read our easy explainer for our advice on what and when to feed garden birds.
To explore the Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 results and see what you can do to help garden birds, fly over to the Big Garden Birdwatch results hub.
The Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 results are in!
We reveal the Birdwatch 2026 results and discuss new guidance for feeding our garden birds.
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The Big Garden Birdwatch: who came top?
The results from this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch show that, once again, the House Sparrow takes the top spot, while Blue Tits remain at number two. Elsewhere, Starlings crept up one place to number three, with Woodpigeons and Blackbirds making up the top five most recorded species in UK gardens.
This year, 650,279 people took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, maintaining the event’s title as the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Together, well over half a million bird-lovers throughout the UK counted more than nine million birds and over 80 different species – an amazing achievement. Thank you!
Lots of birdwatchers, fewer birds
Since it began in 1979, the Big Garden Birdwatch has given us a valuable, annual snapshot of how our most common garden birds are faring. Sadly, over that time, the Birdwatch has tracked the decline of many species, something revealed as we look further down this year’s rankings.
In 18th spot on the list is the Greenfinch. And this decline is borne out by other surveys which have seen Greenfinches decline by over 65% in the last three decades. It’s estimated that this amounts to a loss of over two million individual birds. As a result of these declines, Greenfinches are now on the UK Red List.
There is strong evidence that the cause of these losses is a disease called trichomonosis, which spreads more easily when birds gather around feeders, particularly in summer and autumn.
New advice
In response to this, and with the help of other experts, our scientists have taken a fresh look at what happens when we feed garden birds. It turns out the picture is quite mixed: there are clear benefits, but also some risks, and plenty we still don’t fully understand.
Discussing the issue, RSPB Chief Executive, Beccy Speight, said: "Feeding birds is something millions of us love and value, but the science shows us that birds such as Greenfinches have been affected by the spread of disease at feeders.”
Despite the risks, we believe feeding garden birds remains hugely beneficial when done safely and at appropriate times of year.
That’s why we’re releasing new advice on what and when to feed garden birds. We believe that we can all help by making simple, seasonal changes that will help protect bird health in the long term.
The message is simple: Feed seasonally. Feed safely.
Watch this short animation to understand how you can best help garden birds.
Feed seasonally
It’s important to adjust what we feed our garden birds during the summer and autumn months, when there’s a higher risk of disease spreading.
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From 1 May to 31 October: Pause filling your bird feeders with seeds or peanuts. You can continue to offer small amounts of mealworms, fatballs, or suet.
Feed safely
Just one infected bird can turn your busy feeder into a disease hotspot. To help keep birds healthy, we need to prioritise hygiene – which is why we’ve strengthened our existing guidance.
- Clean and move your feeders weekly: Get into the habit of giving your feeders a good clean at least once a week. Place your feeders in a different spot after each clean to prevent the build-up of contaminated debris underneath. Any existing debris should be cleared up too.
- Change water daily: Only offer water if you’re able to change it every day and make sure it’s tap water. Water baths should also be cleaned weekly.
- Retire flat-surfaced feeders: Research has confirmed that there’s a higher risk of the disease spreading on flat surfaces, where contaminated food can collect. This means bidding a fond farewell to feeders that have any flat surfaces – including bird tables.
Where can I find more information about feeding garden birds?
Other ways you can help
As well as adjusting the way we all feed our garden birds, there are plenty of other things we can do to help them find their own food. You could consider bird-friendly planting, with plants such as sunflowers, teasels and ivy helping to provide natural, safer food sources and encourage insects.
RSPB Chief Executive Beccy Speight explains:
We’re not asking people to stop feeding, just to feed in a way that protects birds’ long-term health. By making small changes together, we can ensure garden feeding continues to be a positive force for nature.”
What is the Big Garden Birdwatch?
The Big Garden Birdwatch is a large-scale citizen science survey that started in 1979. Participants are asked to count the maximum number of each species they see in their garden or other green space during a one-hour period over the last weekend in January.
Teachers and pupils also took part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch, during the first half of spring term, with a record breaking 143,000 participants this year.
Big Garden Birdwatch
