WILDLIFE is facing its toughest test of the new millenium with freezing conditions driving birds to "crisis" point warns one of the Forest's leading wildlife experts.

"The savage wintery weather is simply pushing wildlife to the brink," writes Barry Embling, the RSPB's Forest of Dean manager in this week's Review.

He urges people to: "Help struggling wildlife through what, potentially, could be the greatest single wildlife killer of the new millennium."

Icy ground means many smaller birds struggle to find food to survive, especially those feeding on insects. And with a high heart rate they must eat to keep up their strength.

With more snow and another icy blast being forecast, changes in bird behaviour are also being seen.

Mr Embling said unusual numbers of fieldfare – a large grey coloured thrush – are being pushed into the Forest by the freeze, flocks of tiny wrens are huddling together to keep warm, and many birds have stopped singing.

"In the snows the robins just stopped singing. It was noticeable that on the first day of the thaw, the woods were just full of birdsong," says Mr Embling, who'll be talking about the winter bird crisis on BBC1's Countryfile programme on January 31.

• For tips on how to help birds survive the winter, see page 15.

•Owl's that! It's not a snowy owl and it's starving, see page 17.