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

Wood Warbler

RED

-48%

6500

Spotted Flycatcher

RED

-40%

41500

House Martin

RED

-33%

480000

Tree Sparrow

RED

-25%

245000

Greenfinch

RED

-20%

785000

Lesser Redpoll

RED

-17%

260000

Mistle Thrush

RED

-13%

165000

Whinchat

RED

-12%

49500

Tree Pipit

RED

-11%

105000

Yellowhammer

RED

-11%

700000

Marsh Tit

RED

-6%

28500

Yellow Wagtail

RED

-6%

19500

Linnet

RED

-5%

560000

Starling

RED

-5%

1750000

Ring Ouzel

RED

-5%

7300

House Sparrow

RED

-3%

5300000

Skylark

RED

9%

1550000

Grasshopper Warbler

RED

20%

12000

Corn Bunting

RED

21%

11000

Nightingale

RED

35%

5550

Dipper

AMBER

-30%

13700

Pied Flycatcher

AMBER

-26%

23500

Bullfinch

AMBER

-21%

265000

Grey Wagtail

AMBER

-13%

37000

Dunnock

AMBER

-8%

2500000

Redstart

AMBER

-7%

135000

Reed Bunting

AMBER

-6%

275000

Meadow Pipit

AMBER

-4%

2450000

Wren

AMBER

-4%

11000000

Whitethroat

AMBER

-2%

1100000

Sedge Warbler

AMBER

-1%

240000

Rook

AMBER

-1%

980000

Wheatear

AMBER

1%

170000

Willow Warbler

AMBER

1%

2300000

Song Thrush

AMBER

1%

1300000

Swallow

GREEN

-26%

705000

Chaffinch

GREEN

-22%

5050000

Lesser Whitethroat

GREEN

-14%

79000

Pied / White Wagtail

GREEN

-13%

505000

Sand Martin

GREEN

-12%

147750

Goldcrest

GREEN

-10%

790000

Blackbird

GREEN

-6%

5050000

Great Tit

GREEN

-6%

2350000

Siskin

GREEN

-4%

445000

Treecreeper

GREEN

-4%

225000

Garden Warbler

GREEN

-4%

145000

Long Tailed Tit

GREEN

-4%

380000

Coal Tit

GREEN

-4%

660000

Blue Tit

GREEN

-2%

3400000

Robin

GREEN

-1%

7350000

Carrion Crow

GREEN

-1%

1050000

Jay

GREEN

0%

170000

Crossbill

GREEN

2%

26000

Magpie

GREEN

2%

610000

Nuthatch

GREEN

2%

250000

Goldfinch

GREEN

2%

1650000

Jackdaw

GREEN

4%

1550000

Raven

GREEN

6%

10000

Hooded Crow

GREEN

7%

285000

Blackcap

GREEN

13%

1650000

Reed Warbler

GREEN

15%

130000

Chiffchaff

GREEN

21%

1750000

Woodlark

GREEN

45%

2300

Stonechat

GREEN

68%

65000

Firecrest

GREEN

85%

2000

Cetti's Warbler

GREEN

118%

3450

Species

Alert Type

Change in Population %

Population Estimate

Greenfinch

RED

-57%

785000

Willow Tit

RED

-52%

2750

Wood Warbler

RED

-51%

6500

House Martin

RED

-40%

480000

Spotted Flycatcher

RED

-37%

41500

Tree Sparrow

RED

-26%

245000

Marsh Tit

RED

-25%

28500

Tree Pipit

RED

-20%

105000

Lesser Redpoll

RED

-20%

260000

Yellowhammer

RED

-19%

700000

Whinchat

RED

-12%

49500

Grasshopper Warbler

RED

-9%

12000

Starling

RED

-8%

1750000

Mistle Thrush

RED

-7%

165000

Nightingale

RED

-5%

5550

Yellow Wagtail

RED

-5%

19500

House Sparrow

RED

-4%

5300000

Linnet

RED

1%

560000

Ring Ouzel

RED

4%

7300

Skylark

RED

15%

1550000

Corn Bunting

RED

39%

11000

Wheatear

AMBER

-32%

170000

Dipper

AMBER

-32%

13700

Redstart

AMBER

-22%

135000

Sedge Warbler

AMBER

-19%

240000

Bullfinch

AMBER

-17%

265000

Whitethroat

AMBER

-15%

1100000

Willow Warbler

AMBER

-9%

2300000

Dunnock

AMBER

-9%

2500000

Rook

AMBER

-4%

980000

Meadow Pipit

AMBER

4%

2450000

Reed Bunting

AMBER

8%

275000

Grey Wagtail

AMBER

20%

37000

Song Thrush

AMBER

22%

1300000

Wren

AMBER

28%

11000000

Crossbill

GREEN

-50%

26000

Swallow

GREEN

-43%

705000

Chaffinch

GREEN

-39%

5050000

Siskin

GREEN

-20%

445000

Garden Warbler

GREEN

-17%

145000

Great Tit

GREEN

-13%

2350000

Coal Tit

GREEN

-12%

660000

Pied / White Wagtail

GREEN

-10%

505000

Blue Tit

GREEN

-8%

3400000

Lesser Whitethroat

GREEN

-7%

79000

Treecreeper

GREEN

-6%

225000

Long Tailed Tit

GREEN

-4%

380000

Blackbird

GREEN

-4%

5050000

Sand Martin

GREEN

-4%

137250

Jay

GREEN

-4%

170000

Magpie

GREEN

0%

610000

Carrion Crow

GREEN

1%

1050000

Goldcrest

GREEN

5%

790000

Hooded Crow

GREEN

6%

285000

Jackdaw

GREEN

8%

1550000

Nuthatch

GREEN

8%

250000

Reed Warbler

GREEN

14%

130000

Robin

GREEN

14%

7350000

Goldfinch

GREEN

19%

1650000

Raven

GREEN

21%

10000

Blackcap

GREEN

23%

1650000

Chiffchaff

GREEN

32%

1750000

Firecrest

GREEN

157%

2000

Stonechat

GREEN

197%

65000

Cetti's Warbler

GREEN

343%

3450

Species

Alert Type

Change in Population %

Population Estimate

Willow Tit

RED

-90%

2750

Wood Warbler

RED

-81%

6500

Spotted Flycatcher

RED

-68%

41500

Greenfinch

RED

-67%

785000

Whinchat

RED

-60%

49500

Starling

RED

-54%

1750000

Yellow Wagtail

RED

-46%

19500

Marsh Tit

RED

-45%

28500

House Martin

RED

-44%

480000

Nightingale

RED

-42%

5550

Mistle Thrush

RED

-36%

165000

Yellowhammer

RED

-31%

700000

Linnet

RED

-23%

560000

Corn Bunting

RED

-16%

11000

Tree Pipit

RED

-14%

105000

Skylark

RED

-11%

1550000

House Sparrow

RED

-7%

5300000

Grasshopper Warbler

RED

5%

12000

Lesser Redpoll

RED

13%

260000

Tree Sparrow

RED

62%

245000

Pied Flycatcher

AMBER

-59%

23500

Dipper

AMBER

-50%

13700

Wheatear

AMBER

-32%

170000

Rook

AMBER

-23%

980000

Meadow Pipit

AMBER

-13%

2450000

Sedge Warbler

AMBER

-13%

240000

Bullfinch

AMBER

-11%

265000

Willow Warbler

AMBER

-9%

2300000

Redstart

AMBER

6%

135000

Dunnock

AMBER

10%

2500000

Grey Wagtail

AMBER

12%

37000

Whitethroat

AMBER

19%

1100000

Reed Bunting

AMBER

28%

275000

Wren

AMBER

29%

11000000

Song Thrush

AMBER

30%

1300000

Chaffinch

GREEN

-32%

5050000

Garden Warbler

GREEN

-29%

145000

Swallow

GREEN

-24%

705000

Pied / White Wagtail

GREEN

-21%

505000

Crossbill

GREEN

-10%

26000

Lesser Whitethroat

GREEN

-10%

79000

Blue Tit

GREEN

-2%

3400000

Magpie

GREEN

-1%

610000

Coal Tit

GREEN

0%

660000

Treecreeper

GREEN

1%

225000

Goldcrest

GREEN

1%

790000

Hooded Crow

GREEN

14%

285000

Long Tailed Tit

GREEN

15%

380000

Blackbird

GREEN

17%

5050000

Carrion Crow

GREEN

18%

1050000

Sand Martin

GREEN

18%

147750

Jay

GREEN

19%

170000

Robin

GREEN

25%

7350000

Great Tit

GREEN

25%

2350000

Siskin

GREEN

35%

445000

Raven

GREEN

39%

10000

Reed Warbler

GREEN

42%

130000

Jackdaw

GREEN

63%

1550000

Nuthatch

GREEN

104%

250000

Goldfinch

GREEN

151%

1650000

Chiffchaff

GREEN

162%

1750000

Blackcap

GREEN

190%

1650000

Stonechat

GREEN

243%

65000

Cetti's Warbler

GREEN

934%

3450

Birds not monitored by the BTO:

Species

Alert
Type

Population
Estimate

Cirl Bunting

RED

1100

Hawfinch

RED

750

Marsh Warbler

RED

8

Red-backed Shrike

RED

3

Savi's Warbler

RED

5

Twite

RED

7850

Black Redstart

AMBER

58

Dartford Warbler

AMBER

2200

Parrot Crossbill

AMBER

65

Redwing

AMBER

24

Scottish Crossbill

AMBER

6800

Snow Bunting

AMBER

60

Chough

GREEN

335

Crested Tit

GREEN

1500

Bearded Tit

GREEN

695

Rock pipit

GREEN

36000

Figures taken from BTO/JNCC BirdTrends Report
‍https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/birdtrends
‍
‍Last updated 31 May 2024

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.

bird statistics

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

References

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bird statistics

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

References

HOW YOU CAN HELP

DONATE‍

helpsongbirds

FUNDRAISE‍

BECOME A MEMBER

DONATE
‍

help
songbirds

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