- Big Schools’ Birdwatch provides a snapshot of how our birds are faring in UK school grounds.
- Over a million school children have taken part in the Birdwatch since its launch in 2002.
- With even our familiar birds now facing so many challenges due to the nature and climate emergency, every count matters.
The world’s largest school wildlife survey returns, with tens of thousands of school children watching and counting the UK’s birds for the RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch.
Over 100,000 school children and teachers took part in 2025, counting more than 135,000 thousand birds.
The Birdwatch – which takes place during the first half of the Spring term (6 January – 13 February) – is the largest citizen science project for schools. The Birdwatch involves children watching and counting the birds that visit their school grounds or outdoor space, before sending the results to the RSPB.
With over a million school children taking part since its launch in 2002, the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch has become a much-loved annual event, that helps give the RSPB a valuable snapshot of how our school birds are doing in the UK. With birds now facing so many challenges due to the nature and climate emergency, every count matters.
Rosalind Allen, RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch Co-ordinator said: “Big Schools’ Birdwatch offers children the chance to contribute to a UK-wide citizen science project in their school grounds. For more than two decades, schools have recorded valuable information about how birds across UK schools are faring. Importantly, it also helps schools learn more about the species that are attracted to their grounds. It’s easy to do and does not require lengthy planning and preparation time. Schools also have access to historical results data so classes can compare their sightings with national data from previous years.”
Since the first Birdwatch, more than 70 different species have been recorded in school grounds, giving the RSPB an astonishing amount of insight into how our wildlife is faring.
The Woodpigeon claimed the number one spot in the Big School Birdwatch rankings as the most commonly seen bird with an average of 6 per school spotted in 2025. The Blackbird took second place with the Carrion Crow completing the top three. [note 2]
Rosalind added: “Whatever you see – one Blackbird, twenty House Sparrows or no birds at all – it all counts. It helps us build that vital overall picture of how our school birds are faring from one year to the next. With so much challenging our birds now, it’s more important than ever to submit your results. Our school birds are counting on you!”
The Big Schools’ Birdwatch counts as one activity towards the RSPB’s free Wild Challenge Award. Inspire your pupils to learn through nature by choosing from more than 20 other activities. Tick off another five and you’ll earn your Bronze Award, then work your way up to Gold. [note 3]
The Big Schools’ Birdwatch is a free activity. Teachers can pick any day during the first half of the Spring term to take part, with the flexibility to run it as a one off or as the centre piece of a cross-curricular study, enrichment activity or a way for the children to improve their outdoor space.
Registration for Big Schools’ Birdwatch 2026 is now open. Visit www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch to sign up and participate using the RSPB’s downloadable resources, giving teachers everything they need to enable their class to take part.
All the Birdwatch resources support curriculum learning; this year the RSPB have made all resources available in digital format, providing thousands more teachers with a full range of quality materials to print and use with their pupils! All resources are available bilingually for schools in Wales. Thanks to collaborations with Micro:bit Educational Foundation and Archives IT, there are also opportunities to build computing skills into the experience!
The Big Schools’ Birdwatch is the school version of the Big Garden Birdwatch – the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. It will take place over three days on 23, 24 and 25 January 2026. Further information can be found on the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
