THE house sparrow has “winged it” as the most commonly spotted bird during an intense annual survey earlier this year.

Figures compiled from the 2020 Big Garden Birdwatch appear to prove the theory that milder winters help small birds.

That was the key finding from results gathered in County Durham and the country, as a whole, from the RSPB’s (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) annual snapshot of birdlife in Britain’s gardens.

Almost half a million people across the UK, including 3,671 in County Durham, spent an hour watching the birds that visit their garden or outdoor space.

In all, almost eight million birds were counted in the event staged over the last weekend in January.

The results have revealed smaller birds were seen in greater numbers than in 2019, thanks to the milder winter.

Now in its 41st year, the Big Garden Birdwatch is a chance for people of all ages to help the RSPB build up a picture of how different species are faring.

The house sparrow emerged in the number one spot in County Durham, while there was also an increase in garden sightings of long-tailed tits, wrens, and coal tits, three of the smallest species to visit our gardens.

Mild weather experienced at the start of the year appears to have helped populations of these species, as small birds are more susceptible to spells of cold weather.

Over its four decades, Big Garden Birdwatch has highlighted the winners and losers in the garden bird world.

It was first to alert the RSPB to the decline in song thrush numbers, a firm fixture in the top ten in 1979.

By 2009, its numbers were less than half those recorded in 1979, and the song thrush emerged in twentieth position in the rankings this year, seen in just nine-per cent of gardens.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist, said: “Small birds suffer during long, cold winters, but the warmer January weather this year appears to have given species such as the wren and long-tailed tit a boost.

“Over the survey’s lifetime, we’ve seen the increasing good fortunes of birds such as the coal tit and goldfinch and the alarming declines of the house sparrow and starling.

“But there appears to be good news for one of these birds.

“While the overall decline in house sparrow numbers, reported by participants, since the Big Garden Birdwatch began is 53-per cent, between 1979 and 2020, in the most recent decade numbers appear to have increased by ten-per cent, giving us hope that at least a partial recovery may be happening.”

The house sparrow was spotted by 70.6-per cent of participating households in County Durham, with starlings seen in 47.3pc, while blue-tits were viewed by 82.4pc, but in fewer numbers than the top two birds.

They were followed by the woodpigeon, jackdaw, great-tit, goldfinch, robin and chaffinch in the top ten in the survey.

A full round-up of 2020 results and can be viewed via the site www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch, which carries a local breakdown.