Tens of thousands of schoolchildren across the UK will be staring out of their classroom window, with the blessing of their teacher, to take part in the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch.
A record breaking 90,000 pupils and teachers took part in the survey last year by counting the feathered friends that visit their grounds.
The survey, which takes place during the first half of spring term, is now in its 15th year and is the biggest wildlife survey in schools. It helps to track numbers of birds in school grounds, providing an insight into which species are doing well or not so well and inspiring children about nature.
Since its launch in 2002, the Big Schools’ Birdwatch has provided a million opportunities for children and teachers to connect with nature in their school grounds.
More than 70 different species have been recorded in school grounds, ranging from starlings and house sparrows, to kestrels and even little egrets.
Many schools prepare for the event in advance by taking measures to give nature a home in the playground, such as putting up feeders and nestboxes and making bird cake. Seeing and counting the birds coming to their feeders for the Big Schools Birdwatch is the perfect reward for their efforts.
James Harding-Morris, RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch Co-ordinator said: “This is a fun and educational activity and is open to every school in the UK. It’s flexible enough to fit into a lesson or during lunchtime and links well to the curriculum or project work. It also provides valuable information on how some of our familiar birds are doing and everyone who takes part will be learning about how to give nature a home at their school.”
Last year, the blackbird topped the list for the 7th year running, with 89% of schools that took part seeing blackbirds, with an average of seven birds seen per school.
Starlings held onto the number two spot, but for the first time ever house sparrows made the top three. House sparrows were spotted at more than half of all schools; the average counted was four. [note 2]
The Big Schools' Birdwatch is the school version of the Big Garden Birdwatch – the world's biggest garden wildlife survey aimed at families and individuals. The event will take place over the weekend of the 30 and 31 January 2016 and further information can be found on the RSPB website rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
The Birdwatch takes just one hour and teachers can pick any day during the first half of spring term to take part. It works across a wide age and ability range and there's plenty of flexibility to run it as simply as teachers would like either as the centrepiece of cross-curricular studies, project work, or a way to improve their school grounds.
Big Schools’ Birdwatch and Big Garden Birdwatch are part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the problems facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. The RSPB is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces – whether by planting pollen-rich plants to attract bees and butterflies, putting up a nestbox for a house sparrow, or creating a pond that will support a number of different species. [note 3]
From 1 November 2015 you can register to take part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch 2016 at rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch Everything schools need to take part is available to download from the RSPB website.