Over the past few years I have noticed a fall in the number of some of our wild birds. Especially Starlings and Sparrows. In my area House Sparrows have almost disappeared altogether. I have noticed also, an increase in the numbers of Magpies and Wood Pigeons. This rasies the following questions:-
Are these two facts related?
Will numbers return to normal over time?
Is any more of our wild life suffering in the same way.
I would like to hear your veiws.

alan g a

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Not everything that goes up comes back down. Your age for example.
My pets (sorry I can't upload any pics yet)
Cats
Candy (12) Neo and Simba (10) Del Boy (7))
Cockatiels
Undertaker (My OH's choice)(10) Souxsie(10) Sid(9) Rimmer and LIster(1) Ruhbarb and Custard(hatched july 2010)
Rats
Frosty and Jack(1)
Gerbil
Pepper(almost6) Pepper sadly no longer with us RIP pepper.
Its almost a zoo at home,but we love them all.

Sparrows and starlings...not as many but still quite common in places.Plastic soffits and barge boards on houses has deprived a lot of them of their nesting places.
Wood pigeons..constant shooting has gradually seen them moving into the town parks and gardens.

Magpies were very localised in the country when I was a lad...nowadays my theory is,as with crows,the increase in the motor car over the last 50 years has been a Godsend to these birds.With tens of thousands of road kills they have a ready source of food and therefore they have multiplied more than ever before...
The increased population needing their own territories has forced them to enter our towns.In turn this has led to them scouring rubbish dumps for food...and the filthy habits of the population throwing their fast food wrappers on the ground has given them even more easily obtainable food.
When I was a kid they were never seen in towns at all.

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I only realy take notice of the raptors, we have loads of buzzard, a few peregrines but hardly any kestrels for the last couple of years

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poohdogs reference to food wrappers in conection with Magpies, reminded me of the time I saw a Magpie carrying a silver crisp packet towards a tree, (and presumably his nest). I are aware of their passion for all things shiny put thats going a bit far I think.

__________________
Not everything that goes up comes back down. Your age for example.
My pets (sorry I can't upload any pics yet)
Cats
Candy (12) Neo and Simba (10) Del Boy (7))
Cockatiels
Undertaker (My OH's choice)(10) Souxsie(10) Sid(9) Rimmer and LIster(1) Ruhbarb and Custard(hatched july 2010)
Rats
Frosty and Jack(1)
Gerbil
Pepper(almost6) Pepper sadly no longer with us RIP pepper.
Its almost a zoo at home,but we love them all.