How to Help Robins Survive the Cold This Winter

       Without our help, the beloved Christmas bird could be in danger as cold weather can be a challenge for robins.
       With the first snow of the season falling, an expert offers help and insight into why robins need our help and what we can do.
       During the winter night, robins spend up to 10 per cent of their body weight keeping warm, so unless they replenish their energy reserves each day, cold weather can be fatal. This is especially difficult for them as their daytime foraging time is reduced to eight hours or less, compared to more than 16 hours in summer. Research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) shows that small birds have to spend more than 85 per cent of their daytime foraging to consume enough calories to survive the long night.
       Without additional bird food in the garden, up to half of the robins could die from cold and starvation. Robins are particularly susceptible because they faithfully remain in the garden regardless of the weather.
       Garden wildlife expert Sean McMenemy, director of Ark Wildlife Conservation, offers some simple tips on how the public can help robins in their gardens this Christmas.
       Robins love to forage for food on the ground. To encourage them to spend more time with you and to view your garden as a home, place a small tray of their favourite foods near a bush, tree or favourite perch. If you are lucky, robins will soon become confident in our presence and hand feeding is nothing new!
       During the colder months, birds gather together to stay warm. They often use nest boxes as winter shelter, so the placement of a robin nest box can make a big difference. These nest boxes will serve as a roosting and spring nesting site. Place the nest box at least 2 meters away from dense vegetation to protect it from predators.
       Provide a plentiful water source in the garden. Bird tables have a major impact on the survival of robins in urban and suburban areas. Placing ping pong balls in a bird pond will prevent the water from freezing. Alternatively, keeping the bird pond ice-free can slow the freezing process to -4°C, allowing the water to remain liquid for longer.
       It’s worth making sure your garden isn’t too tidy and untidy. Wild growth will encourage insects to breed and help robins and other birds find food this winter.