London wildlife survey results

Blackbirds are the second most common bird in London Gardens. Copyright Wildlife Extra.

More than 62,000 people took part in the new wildlife stock-take. Participants were asked to note the birds as well as other garden visitors, such as squirrels, frogs and toads.

Pigeons are most common - Cats in 86% of gardens
In London pigeons are the most common garden visitors, followed by blackbirds and robins. Traditionally, house sparrows and starlings were the top two most common species, but, worryingly, they've slipped to seventh and eighth places respectively. Cats were recorded in 86% of the gardens surveyed, almost equalled by the number of squirrels. Foxes were third placed, appearing in 70 per cent of gardens.

"This is the first year we've run this survey and it's given us a baseline that we will be able to compare with future surveys," said the RSPB's London spokesman Tim Webb. "In isolation it tells us very little about the species recorded, but given time we'll be able to track annual changes and identify trends that will show whether wildlife's coping with any environmental change."

Pigeons are the most common bird species seen in London gardens. Copyright Wildlife Extra.

Make Your Nature Count survey
The Make Your Nature Count survey took place in June; it revealed that London's gardens have on average eight different species of birds present at that time of year, two less than the national average. Summer migrants were also spotted and swifts came in fourteenth place, recorded flying over 22% of participating gardens.

London's top twenty most common garden bird species: creatures that regularly visit gardens