Mild winter means lower numbers for annual garden bird count, RSPB warns

Members of the British public taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend can expect to see lower numbers and fewer exotic species after the wettest, warmest December on record

People counting Britain's garden birds as part of an annual RSPB survey can expect to see lower numbers and fewer exotic species as a result of the milder weather this winter, the charity says.

Members of the British public are being urged to spend one hour counting the birds in their gardens and local parks this weekend as part of the 37th RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (BGBW), which has become the world's largest garden wildlife survey. Last year more than 8.5 million birds were counted by 585,000 people.