House Sparrows, once a common sight in gardens across the UK, have been in decline since the 1970s, and are now listed as a species of conservation concern. These declines are thought to been caused by lack of food and decreased productivity in urban areas, but the exact reason is unclear. Happily, numbers have recovered slightly in recent years across Britain, with the biggest increases having been in Wales, where House Sparrows have seen a 106% increase since 1994!

But, despite this glimmer of hope, the demise of a wild bird that was once a regular in Britain's gardens simply emphasises the importance of providing your wild birds with a supply of wholesome wild bird food.