Robins will keep coming back to your garden if you put one thing in your feeder that they love. Robins are a welcome visitor for many gardeners across the UK. These majestic little birds are not only beautiful to look at, but they are pleasant to listen to. They visit gardens at all times of the year, even in winter. If you want to attract robins to your garden, there are a few ways you can make your outdoor space more appealing for them.
Robins enjoy many foods that you can easily get your hands on. Many Brits place bird feeders in their gardens in the hopes of attracting garden birds such as robins, and what they put in those feeders is important. To attract more robins to your garden and to make sure they come back time and time again, you can put sunflower kernels in your feeders. There are many health benefits of striped sunflower kernels for robins, so they will likely jump at the chance to eat them.
Sunflower kernels that are suitable for robins to eat can be bought in many garden centres and pet food stores. They normally dig these out of the shells, but you can actually buy them without the shells to make it easier for robins to eat them.
However, it might be worth considering leaving the shells on, especially during wet and humid weather. This is because the seeds are good at absorbing moisture. This will make the texture harder for garden birds such as robins to eat.
According to the Woodlands Trust, you can attract robins by offering them a mix of sunflower kernels, bird seed and mealworms. This will offer them a well-rounded meal packed full of nutrients that will be especially beneficial for them in winter.
It’s worth noting that sunflower kernels are also referred to as sunflower hearts. When you are looking for them in your local garden centre, choose products labelled as either of these.
Bird Spot says sunflower kernels offer “the same high nutritional value as whole seeds”, but are a better option for smaller birds like robins as they are easier for them to eat.
“Birds don’t waste energy cracking open shells, which is especially important during the winter months when conserving energy is vital,” they revealed. “Sunflower hearts are safe for parent birds to feed their chicks.
“Although sunflower hearts are more expensive than whole seeds, you’re not wasting money on uneaten shells. The extra cost reflects their convenience and the fact that they are more processed than straight sunflower seeds.”
