Give robins a helping hand in your garden this winter

Winter is here, and one of the best parts of the season is watching robins flitting about your garden, adding a cheerful splash of red to those grey days. These delightful little birds are a true joy to see. But as the temperature drops, robins need a bit of extra help during the colder months. If you’d like to lend a hand to these red-breasted beauties, nature expert and Ark Wildlife founder, Sean McMenemy shares his tips for supporting your robin visitors this winter. 

Tasty treats to tempt robins 

“One of the best treats you can give robins in winter is mealworms. These little bites are packed with protein and fat, perfect for keeping robins warm and full of energy. If you’d like to mix things up, try adding calcium worms to the menu. These have an extra boost of calcium, which is great for their bone health when they can’t find their usual insect favourites! 

Suet pellets are another fantastic choice. These high-energy treats are full of fats that help robins keep their strength up when winter weather makes food hard to find. Suet blocks are another great option, simply place them on a bird table or ground and robins will peck away happily. 

And let’s not forget about fruits and berries! Robins enjoy nibbling on winter fruits such as apples, pears, and even sloe berries. 

If you want to offer something extra special, our Winter Warmer Mix is a great option. Thoughtfully created with robins' needs in mind, it’s packed with wholesome, nutritious ingredients – no cheap fillers here! Just a balanced blend that’ll keep robins, and any other bird visitors, healthy, happy and full of energy all season long.” 

Create a safe spot for snacking 

“Most of the time, all you really need to do to attract robins to your garden is place some tasty food on a small dish in your garden, and before you know it, robins will make your little patch of land their home! You might even be surprised by how many other birds will stop by for a snack too. But if you want to make things even easier and safer for them, there are a few things you can do. 

Robins - like most birds – feel safer when they’re not too close to predators like cats. They’re also natural ground feeders and find hanging on tube type bird feeders difficult. To help, place your robin food on a bird table or on the ground at least two metres away from thick bushes or dense plants. This gives them the chance to munch on their treats while still having a quick escape route if they need it.” 

Provide a snug spot to nestle in 

“Robins aren’t just looking for food in winter – they need a cosy spot to shelter from the cold too. Luckily, you can turn your garden into their favourite winter hideaway! Robins love little nooks in hedges, under shrubs, or tucked away in quiet corners with ivy. You might even spot them nesting in surprising places like an old flowerpot or an unused watering can! 

If you’d like to give them a bit of extra help, try putting up a special robin roosting pouch or nest box. Robins prefer an open-fronted box – no small hole, just an open front to make it easy for them to hop in and out. Set it up in a quiet, shady spot, away from wind and rain. Add a bit of cover around it – like a few leafy branches, and robins will feel safe, warm and right at home.” 

To browse Ark Wildlife’s range of solutions for wildlife, visit www.arkwildlife.co.uk. 

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Editors notes

Ark Wildlife is a UK-based company specialising in wildlife-friendly products and solutions. They are known for providing a wide range of products designed to support and encourage wildlife in gardens and outdoor spaces, while inspiring its customers to make one small, simple step to help nature thrive.

Ark Wildlife offers a wide array of bird feeders, bird foods, and bird care accessories to attract and nourish birds such as robins, blue tits, sparrows, and other garden birds. They also provide habitats for hedgehogs, bats, and insects, aiming to create a balanced and biodiverse ecosystem in domestic environments.

The business was founded by wildlife enthusiast Sean McMenemy, an expert with an unparalleled understanding of garden wildlife which dates back to a passion developed during his childhood. He is regarded as a leading authority on garden wildlife and has personally driven more innovation, quality and convenience to the bird food and wildlife market than anyone else.