Birds to look out for in your Big Garden Birdwatch

Male Blackbirds live up to their name but, confusingly, females are brown, often with spots and streaks on their breasts.

A colourful mix of blue, yellow, white and green makes Blue Tits one of our most attractive and most recognisable garden visitors.

Male Chaffinches have a subtle pink breast, while females are more brownish. They both have distinctive black and white flashes on their wings.

Not as colourful as some of their relatives, the Coal Tits have a distinctive grey back, black cap, and white patch at the back of their neck.

Collared Doves are a pale, pinky-brown grey colour, with a distinctive black neck collar (as the name suggests). They also have deep red eyes.

A small brown and grey bird. Quiet and unobtrusive, Dunnocks are often seen on their own, moving with a rather nervous, shuffling gait.

A brightly-coloured finch with a red face and yellow wing patch. Goldfinches have a delightful liquid twittering song and call.

The largest UK tit is green and yellow with a striking glossy black and white head. These woodland birds have found that our gardens offer plenty of food.

Its twittering and wheezing song, and flash of yellow and green as it flies, makes Greenfinches a truly colourful character.

Everyone knows the House Sparrow, but their numbers have dropped alarmingly. Males have a black bib and grey cap. Females have a brown head with a pale eye stripe.

The UK's favourite bird. With their bright red breast Robins are familiar throughout the year - especially at Christmas! Males and females look identical.

Smaller than Blackbirds, with a short tail, pointy head and wings, Starlings look black at a distance but they are very glossy with a sheen of purple.

The UK's largest and commonest pigeon. They are largely grey with a white neck patch and white wing patches, clearly visible in flight.