Rally around robins this winter
Out of all our beautiful garden birds, like many gardeners I have a soft spot for dear Robin Redbreast. There he stands firm in the hedge, loyal and steadfast, a brave glint in his eye as he hangs around waiting for worms and occasional titbits scattered from the bird feeder. It’s as if he knows it’s not us that’ll harm him – just larger animals and birds. I like to think I’ve just one little robin friend, but that’s probably a romantic notion – it’s probably a series of different robins visiting me, searching for sustenance. Then again, robins have a curious habit of staying close to their favourite plots, no matter the weather, so maybe it is just one Robin – and not Richard, Rachel or Ralph, too!
Sadly, this winter has seen experts and wildlife charities report that robins and other much-loved birds are under threat – robins in particular, though, as they’re territorial and like to stay put where they feel comfortable, unlike others that seek food elsewhere. In cold spells they lose body warmth and, in under-stocked gardens, they can go without the food they need to keep them fat and healthy enough to survive the night.
The ‘perfect storm’ of harsh cold spells currently forecast, along with ever-decreasing hedgerows, means it’s a worrying time for these birds. Now, of course they’ll largely bounce back in the short term, but, frankly, our birds need considerable help in the long term – a 50 per cent loss of hedgerows since the 1940s has meant a dramatic loss of birds.
So, we need to rally around our robins – voted the nation’s favourite bird. We might not realise it, but our actions make a big difference to survival rates. So, what can we do? Well, robins prefer to feed and forage from the ground, so a ground feeder (find one from CJ Wildlife, www. birdfood.co.uk) placed close to a shrub or tree can encourage them to make your garden home – if you’re really lucky they may even feed straight from your hand. Put out water, site a bird box near bushes, and add a few berried shrubs. Now for their favourite foods: mealworms, peanuts and suet pellets will do the trick, as will special high-protein robin food blends. Kitchen leftovers are a treat, too – mild cheese scraps, cake and biscuit crumbs and dried fruit will go down a storm and they’ll flock to your plot!