The house sparrow has come out as Devon's garden bird champion, taking top spot in the RSPB's record breaking Big Garden Birdwatch.

However, the survey revealed that the number of house sparrows nationally has plummeted alarmingly to an average of just 4.9 birds seen per garden.

That compares to an average of 10 in 1979 (the first year of Big Garden Birdwatch) - a decline of over 50%.

The reason for such a sharp and rapid demise is still not known, and the RSPB is carrying out a house sparrow survey on 3-11 May 2003, to help to find out where and why the much loved house sparrow is in decline.

No. 6 in Devon: Greenfinch

Behind the house sprarrow in second place in the Devon chart was the blue tit, with an average of 3.3 birds seen per garden.

Blackbirds were the most widespread, with 2.5 birds seen in 93% of Devon gardens.

Overall the number of gardens surveyed in Devon this year rose by an incredible 2,000 to 5,388, and 8,278 people took part - many of them schoolchildren.

Tony Whitehead, South West co-ordinator of the Big Garden Birdwatch, said: "We are absolutely delighted.

"This demonstrates the interest and concern that people living in the county have for the birds around them.

"It is essential that surveys like this continue to gather important scientific information if we are to reverse the decline of our best loved garden birds, such as the starling and house sparrow."

Big Garden Birdwatch 2003 saw 303,000 people taking part nationally, including 44,000 children. In 2002, some 262,000 took part.

The count, which took place over the last weekend in January 2003, asked people to spend an hour counting the birds in their garden, school grounds or local park.

It also asked them to record the highest number of each species seen at any one time.

Nationally, the starling was the most common bird, with the house sparrow in second place.

Photographs courtesy of the RSPB.