This weekend the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch hosted a series of free workshops for children at the National Museum in Cardiff.
The yearly event which teaches children how to build bird-feeders has been extremely successful, with nearly half a million birds spotted in Wales alone in 2013.
Annual trends have been monitored since the first survey in 1979.
The RSPB uses the data collected to see which types of bird are in decline and which are thriving across Britain. This is then used to decide how to invest in conservation projects.
Liam Doyle with the plastic bird-feeders
A new generation of birdwatchers has been shown how to make bird feeders from nothing more than a plastic cup and some string at the National Museum Cardiff.
Parents also had the chance to get their hands dirty by helping their children to make a protein-rich bird cake.
The RSPB is trying to raise awareness of the measures people can take to help birds survive the colder months.
Liam Doyle, a learning facilitator at the museum, said: “It’s a really good worthwhile thing to do, it doesn’t take much effort and it allows the RSPB to see where to invest.”
The focus on young birdwatchers has been continued by the introduction of the Little Schools’ Birdwatch for five-year-olds and under, and the Really Big Schools’ Birdwatch for 11 to 14-year-olds.
Recent surveys have shown a decline in the number of starlings. Numbers have fallen 80 per cent in the past 35 years, making the starling the most endangered British bird.
House sparrows have also been identified as under-threat, the reason for their rapid decline in recent years is not yet known. In contrast the population of woodpigeons and collared doves has steadily increased over the past decade.
More information on how to make your garden a bird-friendly environment is available on the RSPB website.
