RSPB reveals fatal reason why you should take down bird feeders this summer

Alarming declines in greenfinch and starling populations in the UK have been revealed by new data from the RSPB’s long-running Big Garden Birdwatch.

The once-common starling reached record low numbers for the second year in a row, with this year’s survey showing a further 3 percent decline. Overall, their population has fallen by an alarming 85.1 percent since the citizen science scheme began in 1979.

Despite a modest 2.3 per cent increase in average numbers this year, overall numbers of green finches still appear to be two-thirds lower than in 1979, underscoring ongoing concerns for the species.

RSPB scientists warn that these songbirds are vulnerable to diseases spread from bird feeders and are urging families to rethink when, how and what food they offer to help protect them.

Beccy Speight, the charity’s chief executive, said: “We’re not asking people to stop feeding, we’re just asking them to be fed in a way that protects the long-term health of the birds.”

This year, more than 650,000 people took part in birding, which involves counting birds for an hour in the garden or local green space on the last weekend in January.

The results could help conservationists gauge how the country’s bird life is faring.

The house sparrow maintained its first place this year, while the blue tit took the second place this year, followed by the starling in third place, the wood pigeon in fourth place and the blackbird in fifth place.

The RSPB said the rise of starlings from fourth to third in the rankings of the most common species in 2026 was largely due to fewer wood pigeons being reported compared to last year.

The charismatic birds are found all over the UK; Their numbers increase during the winter months when more species arrive from Northern Europe and large numbers of birds can be seen performing aerial displays known as “murmurations”.

Before 2000, starlings were the most numerous species recorded on the Big Garden Birdwatch.

However, they are now on the “red list” due to concerns about their population decline.

The RSPB said there was no evidence as to what might be causing the decline, but a drop in chick survival over the first winter may have contributed.

Meanwhile, populations of green finches, which ranked 18th, were particularly devastated by the disease trichomoniasis, which spreads more easily when birds gather around feeders in summer and autumn.

The songbird is also on the conservation “red list”; Other studies across the UK show more than two million birds have been lost since the mid-1990s.

Ms Speight said: “Feeding birds is something millions of us love and value, but science shows us that birds such as the greenfinch are being affected by the spread of disease at feeders.

“By making small changes together we can ensure garden nutrition continues to be a positive force for nature.”

The charity’s experts said households should feed birds seasonally, and what is fed to feeders should be adjusted in the summer and autumn months, when the risk of spreading the disease is higher.

This may include a pause on seeds and nuts to prevent too many birds congregating in one place, but small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or tallow are safe to provide year-round.

Other recommendations include cleaning or moving feeders weekly, changing water daily, and retiring flat-surface feeders after studies found the risk of disease spread on flat surfaces, including bird tables, is higher.

When launching the survey in January, the RSPB said bird lovers could expect a bumper year for migratory species following cold and unstable weather across Europe.

The results showed that the number of recorded redwings and voles increased this year, with average numbers increasing by 307 percent and 70 percent respectively.