RSPCA asks everyone with a garden in UK to 'take action now'

RSPCA asks everyone with a garden in UK to 'take action now' The RSPCA is urging people with gardens across the UK to take simple steps to help wild birds The RSPCA has issued a call to action for people across the UK. It said the latest annual wild bird population figures paint a troubling picture, revealing that numbers have continued to drop in recent years, with the UK breeding bird population indicator falling by 5% between 2020 and 2025. The RSPCA has highlighted the mounting threats facing wild birds across the country – from vanishing habitats and extreme weather conditions to disturbance and deliberate cruelty. Despite this, the charity stressed that small actions taken by the public could make a tremendous difference to birds across the UK. Farmland birds – such as turtle doves and tree sparrows – have been amongst the hardest hit, with populations plummeting by 63% since 1970, while seabird populations – including Arctic skua, herring gulls and shags – have dropped by 52% since 1986. With numbers continuing to dwindle, the RSPCA has warned that wild birds are being forced to navigate an ever more hostile environment. Problems facing birds From increasingly lengthy spells of hot, dry weather – as witnessed this summer – making food and water ever more difficult to find, to wildfires decimating habitats, the loss of nesting sites and the spread of disease, birds are facing a multitude of threats throughout their lives. Alongside these environmental pressures, some birds are also bearing the devastating impact of deliberate human cruelty, the charity added. The RSPCA said it received 876 reports involving cruelty towards wild birds in 2025, including incidents involving pigeons, corvids, gulls, swans and ducks. In July and August 2025 alone, the charity received 359 reports involving wild birds - almost twice as many as the 179 reports received during the same period in 2024, and the highest summer total recorded in the past five years. Weapons including airguns, catapults, slingshots and crossbows have been used in some of the attacks. Sobering reminder Dr Rebecca Machin, wildlife expert at the RSPCA, said: "These figures are a sobering reminder that many of our wild birds are facing a perfect storm of threats, and an increasingly challenging future. Wild birds need suitable places to feed, nest and raise their young, as well as access to food, water and safe habitats. Yet these basic needs can be threatened by habitat loss, extreme weather caused by climate change, disease and human disturbance. "And, tragically, some birds also face deliberate acts of cruelty. Our frontline teams see the devastating consequences of this - birds shot with weapons, such as catapults and airguns, and left suffering with horrific injuries, and even sadly killed. "Wild birds are sentient animals who feel pain, fear and distress. They deserve our care and respect. "While these huge challenges facing our bird populations persist, there are also many things people can do to help. From creating wildlife-friendly gardens and providing safe sources of food and water, giving nesting birds plenty of space, and keeping cats and dogs away from vulnerable fledglings, small changes can make a real difference." With colder weather now on the horizon, the RSPCA is urging people to consider how they can transform their gardens and outdoor areas into safer, more inviting havens for wild birds. Establishing trees, hedges and native plants can offer birds natural food sources, shelter and opportunities for nesting. RSPCA steps to help birds in your garden The RSPCA recommends: - Providing fresh, clean water and changing it every day if possible. Bird baths should be cleaned regularly and moved periodically to reduce contamination - Keeping feeders clean and drying them thoroughly before refilling - From November to April, suitable seeds, grains and fresh, good-quality unsalted peanuts can be offered alongside other appropriate bird foods - but avoiding seeds and peanuts when the weather becomes warmer in May, when the risk of disease spreading is higher - Planting bird-friendly plants such as sunflowers, ivy and thistles to provide natural food and shelter - Positioning feeders well above cat height, away from walls, branches and bushes where predators could hide - Keeping cats indoors where possible, when young fledglings are present, or supervising them closely - Giving nesting birds plenty of space and avoid cutting hedges, felling trees or carrying out other work if active nests are present - Consider putting up a nest box to provide birds with a sheltered place during colder weather The RSPCA is also calling on people to get involved by registering as a Wildlife Friend - a flexible, remote volunteering role that can be undertaken from home or local green spaces - or by participating in one-day volunteering activities, including litter picking, supporting pet food banks and fundraising. Dr Machin added: "It might feel as though the problems facing wildlife are too big for one person to make a difference, but gardens and other green spaces can provide vital refuges for birds, particularly when natural food and water are harder to find. By giving birds somewhere safe to feed, drink, shelter and raise their young - as well as giving them space, and reporting incidents of wildlife being subjected to cruelty - we can all play a part in helping them." All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to deliberately kill, injure or take one, except under licence; any permitted lethal control must involve more humane methods. Anyone found contravening this could face up to six months imprisonment and an unlimited fine.