Last chance to vote for Britain’s national bird

Today is the last chance for the British public to vote for the national bird. Voters can select one of the ten short-listed birds that they think best personifies what Britain represents. The poll will close at midnight on May 7.

Included in the list is the popular Robin, voted as the public’s favourite bird in a 1961 poll, along with the barn owl, blackbird, blue tit, kingfisher, mute swan and puffin. The wren, red kite and hen harrier also made it in to the shortlist, after a list of 60 potential birds was whittled down to make the top ten.

While the robin has often been viewed as Britain’s national bird, the public has never been asked to vote for its winged representative. Over 100,000 people have already cast their vote.

Common British birds are increasingly at risk because of habitat loss. The annual State of the UK’s birds report revealed that the numbers of 16 bird species, including the starling, cuckoo and wood warbler, declined in 2013 because of environmental degradation and habitat loss. The draining of wetlands for farming or development as also highlighted as a reason.

To vote for Britain’s national bird click here.

Photo: carol via Flickr

Further reading:

Voting opens for Britain’s national bird

Number of endangered bird species on the rise

Wildlife charity challenges Scottish windfarms

Wading birds decline could be due to climate change, say conservationists

RSPB drone technology to watch over UK’s threatened bird species