Robins (1 Viewer)

[lattwood]

I need some advice please. My nana is trying to put out food for the robin but the sparrows keep stealing it. Is there a window feeder which is small enough for the robin but keep the sparrows away?

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

It’s impossible to pick and choose which birds you want to feed. We haven’t had sparrows in our garden for years, so I’m quite envious!

 

[URs4]

I need some advice please. My nana is trying to put out food for the robin but the sparrows keep stealing it. Is there a window feeder which is small enough for the robin but keep the sparrows away?

Hi

There’s a few things you can do to help feed robins. I will say though, that sparrows are absolute animals 😂 the piranhas of the hedges - so your nana won’t be able to hide food from them.

Robins do not like visiting conventional hanging feeders and they will always prefer to feed at ground level wherever possible (or well sheltered bird tables).

I would recommend that your nana tries calciworms, they’re inexpensive and if you soak a small handful in a little bit of water they rehydrate very quickly. If she was to sprinkle a small amount of rehydrated calciworms close to house walls, garden fences, hedges etc.. the Robin will find them no problem.

Calciworms are good for them too and rehydrating them with water is important if feeding them in large amounts. Especially in summer when water is scarce as the dried calciworms need to rehydrate in the birds stomach before being digested. Dried insects are especially dangerous to chicks if the parents feed too many of them as the chicks can become severely dehydrated after consuming them. So always soak them during breeding season.

So my advice would be buy a small bag of dried calciworms, soak them in water for 10 minutes and then dot them around the garden in places a robin would feel safe from predators. He or she will do the rest and spot them in no time.

I hope that helps and gives you something to try out.