Blackbirds still singing in Swiss parks 

Sparrows, blackbirds and magpies are the three most common bird species in Switzerland, according to a survey.

A census carried out last weekend by volunteers on behalf of the environmental group, BirldLife, found nearly 69,000 birds from 138 different species in Switzerland.

Bird spotters gathered their information in nearly 1,500 gardens and parks, according to a statement published by Birdlife on Wednesday.

The blackbird is – as in previous years – the most widespread species as it was spotted in four out of five gardens, ahead of the magpie and the house sparrow.

There was a high density of sparrows with just over 8,600 individual sightings within an hour between May 3 and May 5.

The Birdlife group says the findings confirm that birds have lost much of their habitat due to an increasingly industrialised farming industry.

Experts also say many bird species have disappeared from built-up areas.

Even blackbirds appear to come under pressure as the hot and dry summer of 2018 led to a notable reduction in the bird population.