Long-tailed tit

This easily-recognisable small bird is one of the most pleasing visual treats in the garden. Their black, white and pink plumage marks the out against their better-known cousins the blue and great tits.

They move in groups of up to 20 individuals, whipping through gardens in their search for seeds and insects. While they have historically concentrated on natural sources of food, they are increasingly willing to visit bird tables and feeders. Twenty per cent of gardens reported the presence of long-tailed tits in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

Aside from gardens, they can be seen in woodland, hedgerows, scrub and parkland.