Have you seen a Cockney Sparrow?
Help London’s house sparrows and take part in our Cockney Sparrow Count, 18 June to 12 July in partnership with the RSPB
It's simple, quick to do and negative results are just as important as actual sightings. It doesn't have to be done at home, you can do it along any London street or whilst sitting in a green space on a lunch break at work!
The cockney sparra has lived alongside us for hundreds of years and was once a regular fixture in our London gardens, parks and squares. It was so beloved by Londoners that it was incorporated into cockney rhyming slang - bow and arrow. Sadly its squabbling chirps are dimmed and there are fewer to feed in our parks.
In London, we lost 68% of them between 1994 and 2000. The reasons are complex and the RSPB is conducting research focusing on ways to halt and reverse that decline.
In the summer of 2002 the London Wildlife Trust, GiGL and RSPB launched the 'Where have all the sparrows gone' survey, which asked Londoners to tell us if they had house sparrows in their gardens or local green spaces. Over 10,000 responded, giving us valuable information about where they were still to be found, as well as highlighting the plight of this once prolific bird. The results painted a sad picture, with a stark absence of sparrows in the centre of London.
Ten years on we're repeating this survey (18 June - 12 July) to see how the sparrow is faring and we're hoping to get even more of you involved this time round!
The information you give us will help inform our conservation efforts to save this iconic London bird.
You can submit records of house sparrows you see in Greater London by between 18 June and 12 July by using our online recording form.
Print out our handy form to help you with your count!