Gardeners are being urged to give robins £1.65 as a Sunday dinner staple to help them thrive
HORTICULTURALS have been urged to feed the nation’s favorite Christmas bird a Sunday dinner to help them survive the winter.
Due to the colder weather and frozen ground, robins may have difficulty maintaining their energy during the holidays.
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The red-breasted birds are incredibly territorial and start their breeding season earlier than most other birds.
They are easily spotted in gardens and will keep gardeners watching closely to see what fresh worms and larvae they dig up in the soil.
But in winter they have to rely more on bird feeders and food left out for them.
The Royal Horticultural Society says: “Garden birds in particular benefit from year-round feeding, but winter is a time to offer foods high in fat to keep them warm.
“Feed regularly so birds don’t waste vital energy visiting your garden when there is no food.”
And an ingredient from a Sunday dinner can be the perfect snack for them.
Beef stew dumplings are made with suet pellets, a beloved delicacy for birds, including robins.
You can buy Atora suet for £2.70 in supermarkets including Asda.
Tesco also offers an own-brand version for just £1.65.
Suet pellets provide small birds with essential energy and nutrients, so you can easily sprinkle them on your bird table or ground feeder.
One avid bird watcher said: “They like them so much that if I had the back door open and didn’t put pellets out for them, they would come to my kitchen to remind me.”
Another added: “Atora suet is absolutely fine for the birds. I have been feeding it on my property for the past two weeks.”
Meanwhile, a third wrote: “When I put the seed in a bowl ready to take outside to the bird table, I mix a third of each packet [of Atora suet] in it and they go crazy and eat it all!”
If you’re feeling more creative, you can also melt the suet in a pan and mix in porridge, peanut butter, dried fruit or birdseed to make suet cakes for your favorite garden visitors.
If you make too many, you can freeze them and take them out as needed.
