Fewer birds spotted in Saxony's gardens

Fewer sparrows, fewer blackbirds and a negative trend in other bird species too - the nature conservation association Nabu is alarmed after evaluating the "Garden Bird Count" in Saxony. The decline in birdlife is dramatic and should no longer be ignored, said state chairwoman Maria Vlaic.

Declines in many bird species

The house sparrow - also known as the sparrow - was spotted most frequently during the participatory campaign. 10,622 specimens were counted, an average of 4.87 birds per garden. According to Nabu, this is a decrease of 21.4 percent compared to five years ago.

The situation is similar for other bird species. The blackbird has declined by 21.6 percent within five years. Great tit, blue tit and starling have each declined by between 15 and 17 percent. The decline in tree sparrows was as high as 34.1 percent.

However, some fluctuations are evident in the Nabu statistics: the number of house sparrows observed fell in a five-year comparison. In 2015, however, 4.76 sparrows per garden were reported - even fewer than in the current census. For other species such as blackbirds and magpies, the declines appear to be more continuous.

Agriculture, sealing and climate change as triggers

Nabu primarily blames the progressive intensification of agriculture for the development. More and more hedges, field margins and fallow land are being lost and with them the habitats of many bird species. Increasing sealing is also destroying important retreats for animals in urban areas. Climate change is further exacerbating the situation.

Decline also observed across Germany

Almost 58,000 birdwatchers took part in the "Garden Bird Hour" across Germany. They observed the birds in almost 40,000 gardens and parks and reported more than 1.1 million bird sightings to Nabu within three days. According to the conservationists, many species are also on the decline nationwide.

In Saxony, 3,350 people took part in the campaign. They counted more than 71,000 birds.