There are many stories behind the popular use of a Robin on Christmas cards, a favourable one being the Robin symbolising the red uniforms of postmen in Victorian times who delivered the cards.
Whatever its meaning to you, we urge you to consider wild birds as the winter moves on and natural food sources gradually dwindle.
They too need shelter from the elements, a plentiful supply of healthy food and access to clean water, so we’d suggest you:
- Provide food including sunflower seeds and mealworms, but also consider un-cooked oats, raisins, fruit (not citrus), cooked pasta, rice and potatoes
- Supplement this food with unsalted bacon rind, suet and fat balls if you’re looking to provide a high-calorie hit
- Keep feeding areas clean
- Hold the urge to cut back the garden too harshly, to provide more places for shelter
- Provide an ‘all-inclusive service’, ensuring there is a clean and unfrozen water supply for drinking and bathing in a location where the birds feel safe
The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch will take place between the 23rd to 25th January 2026, so perfect timing to start attracting birds to your garden.