Winter has arrived forcefully in Europe and almost suddenly. For this reason, not all bird species may be able to cope with the frost, in particular robins, birds that
Robins can use up to 10% of their body fat during a single winter night, and if they cannot forage enough they will not be able to tolerate the cold temperatures. Each bird species has different needs regarding food and the location and composition of the nest, so not all advice is valid for all birds. To transform your garden into a small refuge for all the birds, you can think about diversifying the food offered and placing small nests in different spots. Let’s start by finding out how to help robins.
What is the best food to attract robins?
To help robins face the winter we must provide them with shelter, water and food. Let’s start with the last item on the list.
Robins need a lot of fat, so the most recommended foods are:
To secure a robin’s trust, place a small tray of some of these ingredients near a bush, tree, or under a perch. The robin prefers to forage from the ground, which will soon become a familiar environment for him and he may come to accept food directly from your hand.
To give water to robinsbut also for other birds, it is recommended to use flat feeders, and we should take care to change the water in case it freezes. Water is one of the most difficult resources for urban birds to find.
How to Attract Robins to Your Garden During Winter
Why are birdhouses important?
One of robins’ strategies for surviving colder temperatures is to huddle together to lose less heat. By placing a house you will help them gather and protect themselves from the frost. Feral (and non-feral) cats can attack birds’ nests, so choose a place at least two meters away from dense vegetation to avoid sudden attacks.
Some trees are perfect natural homes for robins and other birds: holly is an excellent example, because the dense and barbed foliage becomes a perfect protection against the cold and predators, while its berries act as nourishment for all winter birds such as :
THE’ivyhowever, it is a perfect refuge for:
Another handy tip for making your garden welcoming to all birds is to let the foliage build up a bit. A denser undergrowth favors the formation of insects and provides shelter for earthworms and worms. You won’t have to neglect the garden, simply wait a few more days before doing the usual cleaning, so as to facilitate the birds’ supply.
Another wise move is to delay winter pruning, at least as long as there are fruit on the branches, so as to allow robins to hide among the leaves and shelter from the cold.
By following our advice you will build a small idyllic habitat for all the volatile fauna in your urban area, a real contribution to helping mother nature in her work of renewal.
