Bird Numbers Falling

Bad news for all bird loves out there today as the RSPB has said that we have lost on average since 1966 a nesting pair from our countryside ever minute meaning that today we have around 166 million nesting birds in the UK. Still sounds like a fairly health population until you read that in 1966 we are thought to have had around 210 million, so the question I find myself asking is what has happen for there to have been this gradual decline. The obvious thing to begin with is that there's been alot of changes to how we use land and manage the countryside, more intensive farming methods have lead to loss of habitat and food sources although today we've come to recognize the effects we are having in this area and in part are making improvements to hopefully turn around this decline. On the other hand the decline of some of our most recognized garden birds like the House Sparrow are a little more puzzling, if I was to put forward one reason why they might be vanishing I'd go for the loss of nest sites with more and more people having plastic fascia boarding put in place of the old wooden ones. This means that the sparrows can not get into the cavities where they would normally make there nest during the summer months much as the Swifts are also being effected. Another factor to consider in loss of  numbers in all birds could be to due to climate change with warmer drier springs, wetter summers and then either wetter or colder winters, this unpredictable weather can only be adding to the pressure many species are already feeling. So what if anything can we do to try and help, the obvious thing and something most do now is put food out all year round in your garden and not just in the winter but also provide nest boxes. Also another option is to take part in the annual bird count run by the RSPB where you sit for an hour and note the birds you see in your garden.