When it comes to food, different species of garden bird have different preferences. These preferences may vary from week to week and month to month.
The robin, Britain’s favourite garden bird, has quite a varied diet, feeding on insects and worms in the wild and a range of foods in our gardens, such as seeds, mealworms, suet and crushed peanuts.
For many of us, seeing this little red-breasted bird is the highlight of the day. So, what else do they eat and how can you attract them to your garden?
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What do robins eat?
The very British habit of feeding birds in our gardens began in the sixth century when St Serf hand-tamed a robin by offering it morsels of food. We're not sure exactly what was fed to robins back then, but what about today?
Robins are fairly broadminded in their choice of food. Without human assistance, they like to eat insects (particularly beetles) and worms.
Like all small birds in winter, obtaining energy is the key. So if you'd like to attract them to your garden then put out a range of high-value seeds (kibbled sunflower hearts are ideal).
Also put out balls of fat or ‘bird cake’ – a rich mixture of fat and seeds. Mealworms are a real treat – place them in a smooth-sided bowl so that they can’t escape.
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Winter is a good time to put up nestboxes: robins need open-fronted ones that are hidden away behind foliage or climbing plants so that they don’t attract the attention of cats.
Robins rarely come to hanging feeders – though in hard winters you may see the odd one clinging on for dear life – but happily visit ground feeders and bird tables. They often chase off birds much bigger than themselves to ensure they get enough to eat.
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What do other garden birds eat?
In autumn and winter, thrushes make the most of fallen apples. Tits, starlings and great spotted woodpeckers relish a bird table piled high with peanuts. While siskins, redpolls and occasionally chaffinches are attracted to niger seeds.
