SongBird survival garden coming up at Chelsea Flower Show 2025

The UK is home to 73 million fewer birds today than it was in 1970, according to research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

Many people will be aware of the disappearance of certain species, such as cuckoo and
turtle dove, from local areas across the country.

Have you noticed a decline in the number of birds in your part of the UK? Post a comment below >>>

Ken talks to Sue Morgan, Chief Executive from SongBird Survival about the threat to bird populations and the show garden the charity is planning for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 in May.

The SongBird Survival Garden, designed by Nicola Oakey and supported by Project Giving Back will be unveiled at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 from 20 to 24 May 2025, before being relocated to the Neighbourhood Network community centre in Hull.

More information on the plans for SongBird Survival’s show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 can be found here.

“Two turtle doves… And a Partridge in a pear tree.”

The turtle dove is a song bird with a distinctive, soft ‘purring’ call, which is often described as a quintessential sound of summer in areas where it is found.

Conservation projects, like Operation Turtle Dove, a partnership between the RSPB, farmers and land managers and other conservation groups, have helped farmers in the south-east and east of England to create 230 hectares of seed rich habitat for turtle doves. That’s equivalent to 345 football pitches

There is now 442 farms and land holdings working to provide suitable conditions for the bird to breed successfully.

A ban on the shooting of migratory birds in Europe since 2021 has resulted in a 25 per cent rise in breeding pairs across western Europe and it is thought this will lead to an increase of turtle doves in the UK.

However, turtle dove population numbers across the British Isles are yet to show a similar recovery and numbers for 2023 show a 15 per cent decline.

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