Hour of the winter birds: count and discover the biodiversity!

Hour of the winter birds: count and discover the biodiversity!

The "hour of winter birds" has started! From today until January 12, 2025, the NABU calls up the birds to find out what the local bird population is. Martin Rümmler, NABU bird protection expert, explains that all interested citizens can participate - even those who only recognize a few species of birds. The count can be carried out in calm cities or parks and is intended to help make the changes in the bird world visible. According to Rümmler, it is helpful to feed birds to offer them support during the cold months and at the same time make the counting campaign easier. Feeding should ideally take place from November, in frosty weather it is particularly important to help the birds when looking for food, according to the expert from rbb .

Only one day after the counting begins, the first feedback from the NABU gives rise to hope. Despite the concerns that many birds have disappeared from our gardens, the number of birds sighted remains stable compared to the previous year. The relaxation of the blue iron, which has been severely affected in recent years, is particularly gratifying. However, due to the Usutu virus and other diseases, the blackbird remains a problem child, while the house sparrow leads the ranking list with an average viewing of 6.5 sparrows in 62 percent of the gardens. The results illustrate the vitality of the city birds and at the same time underline the challenges in front of which some types are facing. The goal remains clear: The more people take part in the count and pursue their observations, the more precisely experts can evaluate the situation of the birds, as in a report by nabu