One of the prettiest and daintiest birds, the long-tailed tit, is storming Oxfordshire gardens according to this year’s record-breaking RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

Numbers of this highly sociable bird almost doubled compared to last year. The increase is linked to mild winters leading up to this January’s survey.

Long-tailed tits are tiny with cream, pink, white and black feathers, long tails and loud ‘tzee-tzee-tzee’ calls.

They are clever and have learned from each other to feed on seeds, peanuts and fat blocks at garden bird tables and hanging feeders.

Small, insect-eating birds like long-tailed tits soon die when food gets hard to come by in frosts and snow. Milder winters and bird feeding have led to fewer tits dying.

A record 550,000 people across the UK took part in this January’s survey, including 8,711 in Oxfordshire.

House sparrows were top of the tree in most gardens this year, closely followed by starlings and blackbirds.

Pretty goldfinches and greenfinches slipped a little downwards, but most gardens still have them, as well as robins, blue tits, great tits, wood pigeons and collared doves.

Andy Waters, at the RSPB, said: “Creamy, dreamy and dainty — long-tailed tits are a joy to see around. It’s amazing how a little food and fresh water in your garden will bring stunning nature bursting into your life.”

OXFORDSHIRE Top Ten Bird species

  • 1 House Sparrow
  • 2 Blackbird
  • 3 Starling
  • 4 Blue Tit
  • 5 Chaffinch
  • 6 Wood pigeon
  • 7 Goldfinch
  • 8 Long-tailed tit
  • 9 Great tit
  • 10 Robin