Nature features

The common starling is probably the noisiest and most widespread UK bird so you’d be forgiven for thinking that their population is getting out of control, especially when you get a flock decimating your garden's fruit reserves.

But despite their roosts often numbering several thousand their numbers are actually in steep decline and they are one of 40 bird species out of 247 regularly seen in the UK which are on the "red list" of birds that are of conservation concern.

The pictures on this page were sent in by in Brian in Farmoor who was worried about the way the birds ate everything in his garden, but local writer and biologist Colin Tudge argues that this is the wrong stance to take.