Train platforms and shopping centres to come alive with sound of birdsong as part of RSPB efforts to raise awareness of declining numbers

Those commuting to work or having a look around the shops can expect to hear birdsong on Thursday as the RSPB tries to raise awareness of declining songbird numbers.

In the past, it was normal to hear a cacophony of noise from birds throughout the day, but with declining numbers, the charity says the skies are becoming silent.

After scoring a surprise top 20 music hit with a track of birdsong Let Nature Sing in the summer, the RSPB has teamed up with partners to bring the sound of birds to more than 5,000 locations across the UK.

Those on their commutes will hear the track if they travel from London Underground stations, all Translink rail stations in Northern Ireland and half a dozen Transport for Wales railway stations..

Other venues include the Westfield Shopping Centre in London, the National Assembly for Wales and Wales Millennium Centre, Murrayfield and Hampden Park stadiums in Scotland, the V&A Dundee and Lincoln Cathedral.

All Co-op stores, along with Cotswold Outdoor stores, Lush in Belfast and the Weirdfish stores will be playing birdsong.

BT call centres in Swansea and Cardiff will play birdsong to their teams throughout the day and Barratt Homes will be changing their hold music to the sound of singing birds.

Rebecca Munro, the RSPB's director of communications, said: "Earlier this year Let Nature Sing got the public talking about what birdsong means to them and the shocking fact that the UK has lost over 40 million birds in just half a century.

"We all need birdsong in our daily life, but our natural world is in crisis, our wildlife is falling silent."

She said recent international reports delivered concerning findings on the state of the natural world and impacts of climate change, while the most recent "state of nature" report revealed half the UK's bird species are at risk.

"When looking at the evidence it is no surprise to see that more people recognise that something is not right with our natural world, and that the public feel strongly that addressing climate change and the environment should be a top issue for today's politicians looking to create a legacy future generations will be proud of," she said.