The robin has retained its place as the most frequently occurring bird species in Irish gardens last winter.
However, the Garden BirdWatch survey published in the current edition of Wings, found the blackbird surpassed the blue tit to take joint position at the top of the league.
The survey, carried out by BirdWatch Ireland, was based on returns from 1,000 birdwatchers over the winter of 2002/2003.
The robin and blackbird, according to the report, turned up in 99.5 per cent of all gardens surveyed, 55 per cent of which were suburban, four per cent urban and 41 per cent rural.
The chaffinch came fourth in the league of most frequently occurring bird species with the magpie, greenfinch, great tit, coal tit and song thrush, in descending order.
The report said the goldfinch, ranked 13 in the survey, had moved up two places from the previous year and sightings have increased by 72 per cent since the base survey of 1994/95.
The BirdWatch Ireland survey paid special attention to sightings of the house sparrow and found that it was no less frequent a visitor to gardens last winter than the winter before, taking 12th place. Previously, the sparrow had been between 7th and 11th place but the researchers said it appeared that unlike the situation in the UK where there has been a major decline, the trend in Irish gardens would seem to indicate a relatively stable population.
The report said it was important not to confuse the most frequently observed birds in Irish gardens with abundance of the species. "For sheer numbers, the chaffinch, house sparrow, starling and greenfinch prevail, in that order," it noted.