The sparrow is the most common bird in the Netherlands for the third year in a row, according to the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds. The great tit and the blackbird came second and third.

The information comes from the society’s annual national garden bird survey in which people are asked to count the number of birds in their garden or on their balcony for one hour.
Some 10,000 people took part this weekend, a rise of 30% over last year. Together they counted over 400,000 birds. The count formally ends on Monday evening.
Among the more unusual birds spotted were canaries, chiffchaffs, white wagtails and blackcaps. In addition, the number of kingfishers seen in gardens is greater than expected, the society said.