Bird counting in Oldenburger Land: record numbers and worrying trends!

Bird counting in Oldenburger Land: record numbers and worrying trends!

The “Hour of the Winter Birds” took place from January 9th to 11th, and the outcome was extremely positive. In Lower Saxony, 51% more people took part in this count than in the previous year. In Oldenburger Land alone, the organizers registered 2,234 participants, which corresponds to an increase of 67%. The counting results show that a total of 53,679 birds were counted in the region - an impressive increase of 96% compared to the previous year. How NWZonline reported, the great tit was the most common species with 5,657 sightings. It is followed by the blue tit with 4,522 and the house sparrow with 4,319 sightings.

But not all the numbers are encouraging. The house sparrow has recorded a decline of 50% due to energy-efficient renovations in cities. Adverse weather conditions and a decline in biodiversity also play a role in this worrying trend. Interestingly, the blackbirds (black thrushes), on the other hand, enjoyed a pleasing increase of 98%, with 4098 specimens. Traditional winter visitors such as bramblings and redwings were also spotted during the count.

The causes of declines and increases

But what are the causes of the decline in house sparrows and the declining blackbird populations? Experts attribute the absence of blackbirds in many regions to various factors. According to the MDR Blackbird populations in central Germany have shrunk by half in the last three years, which is particularly noticeable in Saxony-Anhalt. Usutu virus could be a reason for this decline, evidenced by the drastic numbers that fell from 3,380 blackbirds in 2022 to 1,729 in 2025. The tree sparrow has also been struggling with a worrying decline for years.

In addition, the blue tit is affected by a negative development. This is due, among other things, to the changed living conditions caused by climate change. How SigmaEarth documented, climate change has impacted bird habitats and is leading to altered migration patterns. In North America, 59 bird species have shifted their range north by an average of 35 miles over the past 40 years.

A look into the future

The next bird count is just around the corner: the “Hour of the Garden Birds” will take place from May 8th to 10th. Until then, conservationists hope that the situation for the bird species in question will improve. Whether these forecasts are realistic remains to be seen. But proactive measures are urgently needed to protect bird populations and maintain them in the long term. The challenges of climate change and the loss of biological diversity make nature conservation more important than ever.