Preliminary results from Garden Bird Survey

13 July

Preliminary results from Garden Bird Survey

Preliminary results from this year’s garden bird survey indicate that the house sparrow is again the top species with an average of 12.4 per garden (compared with 12.7 last year).

Silvereye is second with 9.7 per garden which is a significant increase from 2011 possibly due to the early winter forcing them out of the forest and into gardens in search of food.

The remainder of the ‘top 10’ are blackbird 2.7, starling 2.5, tui 1.3, common myna 1.0, chaffinch 0.9, fantail 0.9, greenfinch 0.8, and dunnock 0.8.

Organiser Dr Eric Spurr says more than 3000 survey forms have been returned to date, about 1000 more than at the same time last year. Analysis of the completed survey forms continues but the final results won’t be known for some months after all the data have been entered into the computer and checked for accuracy.

“The response from participants across the country is fantastic and it helps help build up a picture of how both native and introduced birds are faring in our gardens over the years.”

Results from previous and updates on this year’s results can be found on the website. www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biocons/gardenbird/

Notes to editors:
• The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey is based on the UK Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) ‘Big Garden Birdwatch’, which began in 1979. More than 500,000 people take part in the UK each year, recording millions of birds. The UK survey has helped to highlight major declines in species such as the house sparrow, starling and song thrush over three decades of data.
• The NZ Garden Bird Survey started in winter 2007 and has been held annually since.
• The survey is organised and managed entirely by volunteers.

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