Robins are delightful birds that can brighten anyone’s day when spotted in the garden, but during autumn they face considerable challenges in surviving and adjusting to the seasonal changes. They suffer from a high mortality rate, with most robins living just one to two years, as their natural food sources become scarce and increasingly difficult to locate once temperatures fall.
When temperatures drop, soil begins to harden, causing most insects to burrow deeper underground, while most berries will have already ripened and been consumed by other wildlife. Making the effort to feed robins now will significantly boost their chances of survival, yet many people make the error of not knowing the proper placement for food. An expert from Beaky Bites has revealed the most effective way to help robins is to avoid positioning bird feeders in exposed locations, as these birds prefer to feed in more sheltered spots within a garden.
Where to put a robin birdfeeder in a garden?
They said: “Robins thrive in gardens with natural cover and quiet spaces. Dense shrubs, small trees, log piles and tangled corners offer protection from predators and harsh weather. Keeping these areas intact throughout winter gives robins safe routes between feeding zones and the nesting box.”
Being relatively small birds, robins are easily intimidated by larger garden birds, so they typically avoid busy feeders positioned on lawns or patios, where there is excessive competition for them. Most birds will readily feed from a feeder positioned anywhere in a garden, but robins generally favour locations with abundant vegetation where they can conceal themselves.
If you wish to attract robins to a feeder, it’s advisable to position it near hedges, shrubs or beneath some form of cover such as a tree.
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This not only keeps robins separated from other birds, but also provides protection from wind or heavy rainfall, making it more likely they’ll seek refuge in your garden.
However, exercise caution, as cats are notorious for concealing themselves and ambushing birds, so ensure any feeder is placed approximately one to two metres away from vegetation.
This provides robins with somewhere to retreat if they’re alarmed, while being sufficiently distant that a cat cannot hide without being detected by the robins.
Robins favour areas with cover, but position a feeder away from walls, fences or low spots where a cat might lie in wait.
The ideal location for a feeder in a garden is somewhere reasonably quiet yet with an unobstructed view, enabling robins to spot any cats, larger birds or other predators approaching.
If robins recognise they have a secure feeding spot, they’re far more likely to frequent your garden, offering you a greater opportunity to observe these stunning red-breasted birds throughout autumn.
