Cold weather takes toll on smaller species in UK birdwatch

Big Garden Birdwatch finds fall in long-tailed tits and wrens after 'beast from the east'

Almost 1.2 million house sparrows were spotted in British gardens during this winter's Big Garden Birdwatch but smaller garden birds appear to have suffered from the previous winter's cold weather.

Long-tailed tits decreased by more than 27% and wrens by 17% in 2019 after bumper years in 2018, according to the RSPB survey. Populations of both species are thought to have been affected by last year's "beast from the east": small birds are more susceptible to extreme chilly spells.