Wild bird population numbers and trends are updated annually. Our UK birds have been split into three different categories of conservation importance.

UK Conservation Status explained

Birds placed on the red list are species which:

Have declined by more than 50% in the last 25 years, or longer.
Are globally threatened or are not recovering from historical decline.
Have had their breeding range in the UK reduced drastically by at least 50% in the last 25 years or longer.

Species of birds on the amber list:

Have moderately declined by 25 – 50% in the last 25 years or longer.
Are recovering / recovered from historical decline.
Are a rare breeder in the UK or of either European or International importance.

Birds on the green list are not considered to be of conservation concern

This list details the conservation status of UK songbirds (passerines) along with the trend and percentage changes in breeding population numbers.

Songbird
Species

Alert
Type

Change in Population %

Population
Estimate

Willow tit

RED

-51%

Tree sparrow

RED

-45%

Wood warbler

RED

-39%

Yellow wagtail

RED

-25%

Ring ouzel

RED

-23%

Marsh tit

RED

-21%

Starling

RED

-19%

Whinchat

RED

-18%

House sparrow

RED

-18%

House martin

RED

-17%

Yellowhammer

RED

-17%

Mistle thrush

RED

-14%

Spotted flycatcher

RED

-2%

Redpoll

RED

-2%

Linnet

RED

3%

Greenfinch

RED

4%

Tree pipit

RED

7%

Skylark

RED

9%

Grasshopper warbler

RED

12%

Corn bunting

RED

25%

Nightingale

RED

35%

Bullfinch

AMBER

-26%

265,000 Territories

Dipper

AMBER

-22%

13,700 Pairs

Reed bunting

AMBER

-14%

275,000 Territories

Dunnock

AMBER

-9%

2,500,000 Territories

Grey wagtail

AMBER

-6%

37,000 Pairs

Meadow pipit

AMBER

-6%

2,450,000 Pairs

Rook

AMBER

-6%

980,000 Pairs

Whitethroat

AMBER

-4%

1,100,000 Territories

Wheatear

AMBER

-3%

170,000 Pairs

Pied flycatcher

AMBER

1%

23,500 Pairs

Willow warbler

AMBER

7%

2,300,000 Territories

Redstart

AMBER

8%

135,000 Pairs

Song thrush

AMBER

9%

1,300,000 Territories

Sedge warbler

AMBER

13%

220,000 Territories

Wren

AMBER

14%

11,000,000 Territories

Chaffinch

GREEN

-17%

5,050,000 Territories

Great tit

GREEN

-15%

2,350,000 Territories

Jay

GREEN

-13%

165,000 Territories

Pied / White wagtail

GREEN

-11%

505,000 Pairs

Swallow

GREEN

-10%

625,000 Territories

Blue tit

GREEN

-8%

3,400,000 Territories

Lesser whitethroat

GREEN

-6%

79,000 Territories

Blackbird

GREEN

-5%

5,050,000 Pairs

Nuthatch

GREEN

-5%

250,000 Territories

Goldfinch

GREEN

-4%

1,650,000 Pairs

Coal tit

GREEN

-3%

660,000 Territories

Carrion crow

GREEN

-3%

1,050,000 Territories

Long tailed tit

GREEN

-2%

370,000 Territories

Jackdaw

GREEN

-2%

1,550,000 Pairs

Garden warbler

GREEN

0%

145,000 Territories

Sand martin

GREEN

2%

137,250 Nests

Magpie

GREEN

2%

555,000 Territories

Blackcap

GREEN

3%

1,650,000 Territories

Raven

GREEN

4%

10,000 Pairs

Robin

GREEN

9%

7,350,000 Territories

Treecreeper

GREEN

13%

225,000 Territories

Goldcrest

GREEN

15%

790,000 Territories

Hooded crow

GREEN

16%

285,000 Territories

Siskin

GREEN

20%

445,000 Pairs

Reed warbler

GREEN

22%

130,000 Pairs

Crossbill

GREEN

44%

26,000 Pairs

Chiffchaff

GREEN

55%

1,650,000 Territories

Stonechat

GREEN

56%

65,000 Pairs

Woodlark

GREEN

75%

2,300 Pairs

Cetti's warbler

GREEN

133%

3,450 Males

Firecrest

GREEN

272%

2,000 Territories

Species

Alert Type

Change in Population %

Population Estimate

Willow tit

RED

-61%

2,750 Pairs

Wood warbler

RED

-60%

6,500 Males

Tree sparrow

RED

-47%

245,000 Territories

Greenfinch

RED

-42%

785,000 Pairs

House martin

RED

-32%

480,000 Pairs

Spotted flycatcher

RED

-31%

41,500 Territories

Marsh tit

RED

-28%

28,500 Territories

Whinchat

RED

-27%

49,500 Pairs

Yellowhammer

RED

-26%

700,000 Territories

Ring ouzel

RED

-25%

7,300 Pairs

Yellow wagtail

RED

-24%

19,500 Territories

Starling

RED

-23%

1,750,000 Pairs

Mistle thrush

RED

-17%

165,000 Territories

Tree pipit

RED

-15%

105,000 Pairs

House sparrow

RED

-13%

5,300,000 Pairs

Redpoll

RED

-7%

260,000 Pairs

Linnet

RED

6%

560,000 Territories

Nightingale

RED

9%

5,550 Males

Skylark

RED

18%

1,500,000 Territories

Grasshopper warbler

RED

25%

12,000 Territories

Corn bunting

RED

48%

11,000 Territories

Dipper

AMBER

-40%

13,700 Pairs

Wheatear

AMBER

-27%

170,000 Pairs

Bullfinch

AMBER

-27%

265,000 Territories

Redstart

AMBER

-22%

135,000 Pairs

Whitethroat

AMBER

-15%

1,100,000 Territories

Dunnock

AMBER

-14%

2,500,000 Territories

Meadow pipit

AMBER

-11%

2,450,000 Pairs

Reed bunting

AMBER

-11%

275,000 Territories

Pied flycatcher

AMBER

-7%

23,500 Pairs

Rook

AMBER

-5%

980,000 Pairs

Sedge warbler

AMBER

-1%

220,000 Territories

Grey wagtail

AMBER

-1%

37,000 Pairs

Willow warbler

AMBER

3%

2,300,000 Territories

Wren

AMBER

17%

11,000,000 Territories

Song thrush

AMBER

18%

1,300,000 Territories

Swallow

GREEN

-39%

625,000 Territories

Chaffinch

GREEN

-38%

5,050,000 Territories

Pied / White wagtail

GREEN

-23%

505,000 Pairs

Great tit

GREEN

-17%

2,350,000 Territories

Jay

GREEN

-14%

165,000 Territories

Garden warbler

GREEN

-8%

145,000 Territories

Blue tit

GREEN

-8%

3,400,000 Territories

Blackbird

GREEN

-6%

5,050,000 Pairs

Carrion crow

GREEN

-4%

1,050,000 Territories

Siskin

GREEN

-1%

445,000 Pairs

Coal tit

GREEN

-1%

660,000 Territories

Long tailed tit

GREEN

1%

370,000 Territories

Magpie

GREEN

1%

555,000 Territories

Lesser whitethroat

GREEN

1%

79,000 Territories

Treecreeper

GREEN

4%

225,000 Territories

Sand martin

GREEN

5%

137,250 Nests

Jackdaw

GREEN

6%

1,550,000 Pairs

Nuthatch

GREEN

6%

250,000 Territories

Hooded crow

GREEN

7%

285,000 Territories

Goldcrest

GREEN

9%

790,000 Territories

Robin

GREEN

10%

7,350,000 Territories

Crossbill

GREEN

14%

26,000 Pairs

Goldfinch

GREEN

14%

1,650,000 Pairs

Blackcap

GREEN

22%

1,650,000 Territories

Raven

GREEN

24%

10,000 Pairs

Reed warbler

GREEN

33%

130,000 Pairs

Chiffchaff

GREEN

59%

1,650,000 Territories

Woodlark

GREEN

87%

2,300 Pairs

Stonechat

GREEN

156%

65,000 Pairs

Firecrest

GREEN

334%

2,000 Territories

Cetti's warbler

GREEN

369%

3,450 Males

Species

Alert Type

Change in Population %

Population Estimate

Willow tit

RED

-92%

2,750 Pairs

Wood warbler

RED

-82%

6,500 Males

Greenfinch

RED

-65%

785,000 Pairs

Whinchat

RED

-64%

49,500 Pairs

Spotted flycatcher

RED

-61%

41,500 Territories

Starling

RED

-61%

1,750,000 Pairs

Yellow wagtail

RED

-55%

19,500 Territories

Marsh tit

RED

-53%

28,500 Territories

Ring ouzel

RED

-45%

7,300 Pairs

House martin

RED

-40%

480,000 Pairs

Mistle thrush

RED

-40%

165,000 Territories

Yellowhammer

RED

-38%

700,000 Territories

Nightingale

RED

-34%

5,550 Males

Linnet

RED

-20%

560,000 Territories

House sparrow

RED

-18%

5,300,000 Pairs

Skylark

RED

-9%

1,500,000 Territories

Corn bunting

RED

-8%

11,000 Territories

Tree pipit

RED

-6%

105,000 Pairs

Grasshopper warbler

RED

6%

12,000 Territories

Tree sparrow

RED

18%

245,000 Territories

Redpoll

RED

25%

260,000 Pairs

Pied flycatcher

AMBER

-52%

23,500 Pairs

Dipper

AMBER

-52%

13,700 Pairs

Wheatear

AMBER

-37%

170,000 Pairs

Rook

AMBER

-26%

980,000 Pairs

Bullfinch

AMBER

-21%

265,000 Territories

Meadow pipit

AMBER

-19%

2,450,000 Pairs

Grey wagtail

AMBER

-11%

37,000 Pairs

Sedge warbler

AMBER

-6%

220,000 Territories

Willow warbler

AMBER

-6%

2,300,000 Territories

Dunnock

AMBER

5%

2,500,000 Territories

Redstart

AMBER

10%

135,000 Pairs

Whitethroat

AMBER

15%

1,100,000 Territories

Reed bunting

AMBER

16%

275,000 Territories

Song thrush

AMBER

37%

1,300,000 Territories

Wren

AMBER

41%

11,000,000 Territories

Chaffinch

GREEN

-36%

5,050,000 Territories

Garden warbler

GREEN

-27%

145,000 Territories

Pied / White wagtail

GREEN

-26%

505,000 Pairs

Swallow

GREEN

-23%

625,000 Territories

Blue tit

GREEN

-6%

3,400,000 Territories

Lesser whitethroat

GREEN

-2%

79,000 Territories

Magpie

GREEN

0%

555,000 Territories

Coal tit

GREEN

5%

660,000 Territories

Jay

GREEN

8%

165,000 Territories

Blackbird

GREEN

15%

5,050,000 Pairs

Carrion crow

GREEN

15%

1,050,000 Territories

Great tit

GREEN

15%

2,350,000 Territories

Goldcrest

GREEN

16%

790,000 Territories

Long tailed tit

GREEN

16%

370,000 Territories

Treecreeper

GREEN

17%

225,000 Territories

Hooded crow

GREEN

23%

285,000 Territories

Sand martin

GREEN

26%

137,250 Nests

Robin

GREEN

31%

7,350,000 Territories

Crossbill

GREEN

33%

26,000 Pairs

Raven

GREEN

42%

10,000 Pairs

Reed warbler

GREEN

53%

130,000 Pairs

Siskin

GREEN

55%

445,000 Pairs

Jackdaw

GREEN

61%

1,550,000 Pairs

Nuthatch

GREEN

103%

250,000 Territories

Woodlark

GREEN

139%

2,300 Pairs

Goldfinch

GREEN

148%

1,650,000 Pairs

Blackcap

GREEN

195%

1,650,000 Territories

Chiffchaff

GREEN

227%

1,650,000 Territories

Stonechat

GREEN

281%

65,000 Pairs

Cetti's warbler

GREEN

1230%

3,450 Males

Firecrest

GREEN

4388%

2,000 Territories

Birds not monitored by the BTO:

Species

Alert
Type

Population
Estimate

Cirl bunting

RED

1,100 Territories

Fieldfare

RED

720,000 Wintering individuals

Hawfinch

RED

750 Pairs

Marsh warbler

RED

8 Pairs

Red-backed shrike

RED

3 Pairs

Savi's warbler

RED

5 Pairs

Twite

RED

7,850 Pairs

Black redstart

AMBER

58 Pairs

Dartford warbler

AMBER

2,200 Pairs

Parrot crossbill

AMBER

65 Pairs

Redwing

AMBER

24 Pairs

Scottish crossbill

AMBER

6,800 Pairs

Snow bunting

AMBER

60 Territories

Rock pipit

GREEN

36,000 Pairs

Crested tit

GREEN

1,500 Pairs

Chough

GREEN

330 Pairs

Bearded tit

GREEN

695 Pairs

Figures taken from BTO/JNCC BirdTrends Report
‍https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/birdtrends
‍
‍Last updated 30th Sept 2025

References

Heywood, J.J.N., Massimino, D., Balmer, D.E., Kelly, L., Marion, S., Noble, D.G., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., White, D.M., Woodcock, P., Wotton, S. & Gillings, S. 2024. The Breeding Bird Survey 2023. BTO Research Report 765. British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford.

Stanbury, A.J., Eaton, M.A., Aebischer, N.J., Balmer, D., Brown, A.F., Douse, A., Lindley, P., McCulloch, N., Noble, D.G., Win, I. (2021) The status of our bird populations: the fifth Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and second IUCN Red List assessment of extinction risk for Great Britain. British Birds. 114

Woodward, I., Aebischer, N., Burnell,D., Eaton, M., Frost, T., Hall, C., Stroud, D. & Noble, D. (2020) Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom. British Birds. 113: 69–104.