What Do Robins Eat in Winter?
an important feeding time for robins. Food is more important than shelter.
Why? Food fuels the robin's metabolism, giving it the fat and energy
to feed, move, stay warm and survive. What are their winter foods?
The photo shows one example. Read on for more!
A Robin's Favorite Winter Foods
winter robins concentrate on berry bushes, trees and vines, like the bittersweet
vine above. (On warm days, though, you might spot a robin running on lawns,
searching for worms!) Winter
other fruits, and seeds they find on shrubs,
and vines. If
robins happen to overwinter near you, you can offer them frozen
They'll go for apple slices, raisins, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries,
Birdseed? No Thanks!
Did you ever wonder why it's hard to attract robins to a bird feeder?
Most robins have simply never eaten at a feeder
before, so they lack the experience to know what feeders are for. And
even the hungriest robin would never eat birdseed.
robins have so much natural food available that they don't need handouts.
But robins overwintering in northern states and provinces are becoming
more and more common. (Two reasons: Because the whole North
American population of robins is increasing, and because on average,
are becoming milder.) Your birdfeeders can help the robins that remain
in the north instead of taking the Journey South! Robins like
invertebrates, such as worms and insects. Where will you get them in
winter? Mealworms (the larvae of
black beetle) are the best choice, and they're easy
to find. You can buy
mealworms at pet stores or on
What About Water?
Birds need to drink, and if possible, bathe even in the winter.
(Dirty feathers lose much of their insulating properties, so a clean
is a warm bird.) On pleasant
will appreciate a bowl of water more than the finest food. You may notice
that robins are usually found where at least a trickle of open water
is available. Finding water can be a challenge. Our winter birds
conserve body water and
with much less, says bird expert Laura Erickson. Yet when
the water supply freezes up for the season, birds usually have no choice
fluids. Even though winter birds can survive long periods
without drinking, we help them by setting out water whenever the temperature
is above 10 degrees (F). When it's colder than that, the steam given
off by freezing water could coat feathers with
ice, and the bird couldn't fly.
robins go where food is. They stay until it’s gone. Then
they move on, in search of more. It's good to know what robins eat
Try This: Journal Question
- Why is
winter a very important feeding time for robins? What advantages
can you think of for a male to be well-fed and healthy when it comes
time for spring migration? For a female?