Biggest-ever influx of one of our smallest garden birds

07 Dec 2017

Coal Tits are seen in more gardens during the winter, and are generally recorded by at least 40% of Garden BirdWatchers in November, when they are driven to garden bird feeders by cold weather. This year is turning out to be exceptional, with Coal Tits seen in an unprecedented 70% of gardens in November! In some years they are seen in many more gardens, and research using GBW data has shown that their presence is affected by seasonal availability of tree seed crops in the wider countryside.

We know from our research that the food and water provided in gardens can be a lifeline, particularly at times of cold weather and reduced natural food. With all this activity and more cold weather forecast, it is a great time to start paying more attention to the bird life in your garden, and we urge everyone who watches their garden birds to regularly record though Garden BirdWatch

This is the perfect time to join Garden BirdWatch ready for 2018, or sign up a friend or family member as a Christmas gift. New joiners in December will receive a book on garden birds and wildlife and, for a limited time only, the BTO 2018 calendar, which is marked with Garden BirdWatch weeks and other bird survey dates.