Robins need to eat loads in order to stay warm during the chilly weather, but at this time of year, most of their natural food sources are dwindling
Robins urgently need to collect lots of food in November to survive winter(Image: Iain Lawrie via Getty Images)
Spotting a robin singing or sitting in your garden is a delightful sign that winter has arrived, and there’s a straightforward method to encourage them to return without spending any money.
Robins must consume substantial amounts of food in November to build up fat reserves and maintain warmth throughout the cold months, but during this period most of their natural food supplies are becoming scarce.
If robins are unable to locate sufficient insects before the initial frosts arrive, it could prove fatal, and they will probably relocate elsewhere to find sustenance, meaning you may not spot one again until the following year.
Fortunately, wildlife specialists at Bird Spot have shared a remarkably simple technique to naturally attract plenty of food for robins by merely distributing a few items throughout your garden.
A natural way to feed robins is to pile leaves and sticks into a corner of your garden(Image: Maksym Belchenko via Getty Images)
They said: “Avoid cutting your lawn too short to provide shelter for insects and allow grass to grow seeds for them to feed on.
“Create an insect-friendly habitat by piling up logs, leaves, twigs, and rocks. Alternatively, build a bug hotel by stacking bricks or wooden pallets and filling the spaces with bamboo, dry leaves, bark, straw, cardboard, stones, and tiles.”
Most gardeners have already stopped cutting their lawns at this point in the year as it can harm grass and stop it regrowing correctly in spring.
Allowing grass to grow lengthy before winter enables it to offer protection for insects such as worms, which makes it considerably easier for robins to search for them. However, you can also create a wild patch in your garden, also known as a bug hotel, by piling logs, sticks, leaves or other natural material in that area that will mimic a forest floor.
This helps provide insects with shelter and encourages them to breed to create an ecosystem that will easily sustain robins, so they won’t struggle to find food at a time when it’s crucial for them to store fat.
Creating a wild patch or bug hotel takes only a few minutes but will keep robins fed throughout winter(Image: Gonzalo Quero via Getty Images)How to naturally encourage robins in your garden
All you need to do is find a sheltered spot in your garden that is protected from wind and heavy rain. It tends to be best to pick a sunny area near plants and flowers to help provide insects with a source of food to encourage more of them.
Then, simply stack materials on top of each other. Beatles spiders tend to be attracted to dry leaves, bark pieces and cardboard while worms like wet leaves, grass clippings and shredded paper.
Robins tend to feed on the ground so creating a wild area that encourages insects will also naturally invite more of these beloved birds to keep coming into your garden.
However, if you wish you can also buy mealworms for robins or feed them certain leftovers, but be careful to not give them anything salty or hard otherwise it could harm them.
The expert advised: “Protein-rich kitchen scraps are another great option. Robins will gladly eat mild grated cheese, pieces of unsmoked bacon, or meaty pet food. Avoid offering leftover fat from roasting tins, as it can stick to their feathers, hindering their ability to fly and escape predators.”
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