The Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s unofficial national bird day, when regular people up and down the country spend an hour counting the birds they spot and submitting their results to the RSPB. It’s a simple but powerful way to help track bird populations and support conservation efforts.
In this Green Feathers guide, we’ll show you exactly how to take part in the 2026 Birdwatch weekend, from choosing your spot and gathering the right kit to recording your sightings accurately and submitting your results. We’ll also share tips for getting others involved and staying connected with nature all year round. Read on to learn more!
Registering for The Big Garden Birdwatch
Signing up is quick and easy on the RSPB website. You’ll get a free guide plus lots of handy tips to make your Birdwatch hour as smooth as possible; you’ll also be able to upload your results afterwards, which is how you contribute to the event. The 2026 weekend runs from Friday the 23rd to Sunday the 25th of January, so sign up soon!
Getting all the kit you’ll need
All you really need is a notebook or recording sheet, a pencil, and a bird guide. Binoculars can make spotting and identifying birds much easier, especially if they perch further away, and Green Feathers has a selection of high-quality, lightweight binoculars perfect for beginners and seasoned birdwatchers alike. And if you’re new to identifying species, our gorgeous chart shows all the most common UK garden birds, helping you record your sightings as accurately as possible.
Choosing where to watch birds
You don’t need a garden to join in. A balcony, patio, or local park works just as well. Ideally, pick a spot with a clear view of feeders, shrubs, or trees where birds like to perch. You’ll also want somewhere that’s comfortable for you; the January weather might not want to play ball, so pick somewhere that isn’t exposed, and where you can sip a warm drink without scaring your feathered friends away.
What to do during your one-hour birdwatch
Start by choosing your hour and sticking with it; no false starts! Then all you have to do is record the highest number of each species you see at any one time. In other words, if you see a group of five jackdaws and a group of three jackdaws later, you record five – not eight. This helps you avoid counting the same bird multiple times, while still giving the RSPB useful data.
You’re also supposed to only count the number of birds that land, not those you see flying overhead. That’s how the Big Garden Birdwatch has worked since it started in 1979, and it makes sense when you think about it; it’s much easier to misidentify a bird in flight than one that’s landed somewhere you have a clear view of.
Common counting mistakes to avoid
Even experienced birdwatchers can make simple errors that affect the accuracy of their results, and we’ve already covered how you aren’t supposed to add groups or count birds that are in flight. So here are some more most common pitfalls to avoid during your one-hour Birdwatch:
-
Forgetting zero counts: If a species you expect doesn’t appear, record it as zero. This helps the RSPB understand where birds are absent as well as present.
-
Not timing your hour correctly: Use a clock or timer to stick to exactly one hour. And don’t give up and dip out for a coffee halfway through; you should come prepared.
-
Miscounting: for larger flocks of birds, it can be tough to get an accurate count, with them all flitting around. Take a picture of the group if you think it might be the largest group you’ll see, then count them up later.
By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll make sure your counts are reliable and useful for conservation efforts.
Submitting your results
Next is the most important bit. Once your hour is up, you have to log your sightings on the RSPB website. Every entry counts even if no birds turned up. Your results contribute to national data that help track bird populations and support conservation efforts across the UK. And if you don’t, you spent an hour in the miserable January rain for nothing!
Staying in touch with nature afterwards
The Birdwatch is just the beginning of enjoying and supporting wildlife in your garden or local green space.
At Green Feathers we like to think we make it easy for you to stay connected with nature all year round. We stock top-quality bird feeders, bird boxes, and wildlife cameras so you can have a Big Garden Birdwatch any time you like! And if birds aren’t your only bag, we have hedgehog houses, bee hotels, and all sorts of other wildlife-friendly products to help you create a thriving garden for all kinds of visitors. Take a look at our complete collection today.
