HOUSE sparrows are the most common garden birds in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire and starlings in Warwickshire.

Starlings were in second place behind house sparrows in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire and house sparrows were second in Warwickshire.

The findings were the result of the RSPB 2002 Big Garden Birdwatch, responded to by 4,000 bird watchers in Gloucestershire and over 3,000 in both of the other counties.

Andy Waters at the RSPB said: "People watched gardens, parks and school grounds for an hour and recorded the highest number of each species seen."

The society's next national garden bird feature is Nestwatch UK, part of the annual Wake Up To Birds Week, from May 25-31, recording nesting birds and their behaviour.

To take part ring 0870 601 0215 or get the survey form at www.rspb.org.uk/nestwatch

Birdwatch results for Worcestershire were:

1 House Sparrow (4.0 average seen during one hour watching), 2 Starling (3.3), 3 Blue Tit 3.1, 4 Blackbird (2.7), 5 Greenfinch (2.5), 6 Chaffinch (2.4), 7 Great Tit (1.8), 8 Wood Pigeon (1.6), 9 Collared Dove (1.4), 10 Robin (1.3).

Gloucestershire: 1 House Sparrow (4.0), 2 Starlings (3.4), 3 Blue Tit (2.9), 4 Chaffinch (2.8), 5 Greenfinch (2.7), 6 Blackbird (2.4), 7 Great Tit (1.7), 8 Robin (1.4), 9 Collared Dove (1.3), 10 Dunnock (1.1).

Warwickshire: 1 Starling (4.3), 2 House Sparrow (4.2), 3 Blue Tit (2.8), 4 Blackbird (2.6), 5 Greenfinch (2.5), 6 Chaffinch (2.3), 7 Great Tit (1.6), 8 Collared Dove (1.4), equal 9 Wood Pigeon and Robin (1.3).