Robins are a common sight in gardens across the UK, but there’s one natural item that will always attract them – and it’s something you can easily provide
12:14, 31 Oct 2025Updated 12:16, 31 Oct 2025
One natural item will keep robins coming back(Image: Tosh Lubek via Getty Images)
Robins are a stunning native British bird, and when they swoop into view, their presence delights everyone. They’re an adorable sight in any garden, venturing close to people whilst searching for something to eat.
However, it can be tricky to work out what will draw them to your outdoor space. Bird specialists at Johnston & Jeff said there’s nothing quite like the prospect of a decent meal to “encourage birds to flock to your garden”.
Yet, to entice this species, you need to offer the right kind of food and make it accessible to them in the proper way. Something many folk don’t realise is that robins mainly eat on the ground. Whilst they might pop up at bird tables, they’re seldom, if at all, seen at feeders.
Consequently, it’s crucial that you either utilise ground trays or spread food across the ground for them to discover, reports the Express. This eating pattern comes from their natural diet. In nature, robins gain most of their protein from insects, which explains why they love rummaging on the woodland floor, in meadows, and in gardens for worms, beetles, and other tiny creatures that cross their path.
This identical behaviour has led to the robin’s standing for being fairly friendly around people. They regularly follow folk who are gardening, displaying minimal to no wariness, and can come remarkably near.
Make your garden a haven for robins to frolic with this tip(Image: Andrew Washington via Getty Images)
This is due to them having learnt that when somebody digs in the garden, worms are frequently exposed, and shadowing the gardener often results in a tasty snack. So, what’s the top pick for these feathered friends?
Given that insects form a large part of a robin’s diet, experts have observed that “they can’t resist dried mealworms”.
A handy hint to make the worms “even more palatable” is to drench them in water, adding much-needed moisture to their diet.
The bird food gurus at Really Wild Bird Food concur, asserting that “one sure fire way to get robins visiting your garden” is to dish out mealworms as they “love the stuff”.
Five berries you should plant make your garden a bird magnet
Planting berry-bearing shrubs and trees is an almost guaranteed way to help birds in the garden stock up ready for winter. However, there are some berries that seem to be taken in preference to others, or which certain species of birds prefer.
Adrian Thomas, RSPB wildlife gardening expert, explained: “In particular, birds seem to prefer red berries, but that doesn’t mean that more unusual colours are to be avoided. Those which ripen to pink, white or yellow may often be those that remain into the middle of winter when birds such as waxwings can be desperate for them.
Hawthorn berries will make your garden attractive to avian visitors(Image: Tatjana Aleksejeva via Getty Images)
“Of course there is even a British bird that is named because of its association with berries – the mistle thrush, which adores mistletoe. I wouldn’t be without lots of berry-bearing plants in the garden.
“To see flocks of birds descend on them in a feeding frenzy is always exciting, and if any of the feast lasts until winter, the chance of attracting redwings, fieldfares or even the rare waxwing is a winter treat for us, too.”
Adrian recommends planting the following five berries in your garden to guarantee feathered visitors:
IvyHawthornHollyRowanBird cherry
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