House sparrows are still the most spotted bird in gardens around Northern Ireland, according to the results of the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch 2019.
Almost half a million people across the UK - including almost 14,000 in NI - took part in the event, spending an hour watching birds visiting their gardens or outdoor space.
In total, more than 7.5 million birds were spotted, with just under 120,000 seen in Northern Ireland.
The north's sightings included great spotted woodpeckers, yellowhammers, sparrowhawks, goldcrests and fieldfares.
The top five spotted birds in NI remains unchanged from last year with house sparrows the most seen, followed by starlings, chaffinches, goldfinches and blue tits.
House sparrows were also the county leaders in Antrim, Down and Derry, while starlings were the most-spotted birds in Armagh and Tyrone and the chaffinch was chief in Fermanagh.
There was one new entry in the top 10 in Northern Ireland, with coal tits replacing collared doves at number 10 on the list.
Held over the last weekend in January, the Birdwatch also revealed a decrease in sightings of wrens and long-tailed tits, two of the smallest species to visit gardens.
Joanne Sherwood, Director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) NI, said: "It’s fantastic to see that house sparrows are the number one bird spotted here and to find out that they’re in 71 per cent of gardens in Northern Ireland. Our garden birds should be a part of our everyday life. For many people they provide our only connection to the natural world and bring enormous joy".
