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This bird guide in the hand is worth hours staring cluelessly at two birds in a bush

Blue tit

Not just blue but also yellow, white and

green, making this colourful tit one of the

most recognisable visitors to our garden.

Robin

Sings nearly all year round. All day too:

it’s usually one of the first in the dawn

chorus and last to stop in the evening.

Great tit

Known for being a bruiser at the bird

table. Joins forces with blue tits in

winter to scour for food.

House sparrow

House sparrows fill their nests with hairs,

string, paper and even feathers plucked

from a live pigeon.

Starling
Noisy and gregarious, starlings spend a lot
of the year in f locks. At their most
attention-seeking in murmuration.

Song thrush

Got a musical earworm? The song

thrush’s habit of repeating song phrases

distinguishes it from singing blackbirds.

Chaffinch

Although one of Britain’s most abundant

birds, it’s unlikely you’ll spot it on your feeder

• it prefers to hop about under hedges.

Wood pi geon

A tale of two pigeons: the country

varietyisshy,whileitscitybrethrenis

tame and approachable.

Blackbird

Males live up to their name but the females

are actually brown, often sporting spots

and streaks on their breasts.

The RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch takes place from 26 to 28 Jan and registration is open now.

Visit rspb.org.uk for more information. Illustration: Mike Langman/RSPB images

• IDENTIFIER •

BRITISH GARDEN BIRDS