Take a look at your Christmas cards this season and the chances are you will see a Robin. This familiar bird with its red breast brightens up this time of year and has appeared on our festive cards for many years. But there is more to Robins than just looking cute...

Winter can be a hard time for small birds including the Robin, puffing up its plumage to try and keep warm. With long cold nights and short days there isn’t a great deal of time to search for food. This little bird can use up to 10% of its body weight just trying to keep warm overnight. It has to eat enough food during the day to survive plummeting temperatures at night.
 
Instantly recognisable, adult males and females have a red breast, it is mainly a ground feeding bird and they can usually be seen rummaging through fallen leaves in their hunt for insects, worms, seeds and fruit. With their large eyes they can make the most of the fading daylight to keep searching for food longer than other birds. In towns and cities, Robins can also use street lights and other artificial lights to look for food.

Just a few hours of snowfall can prove fatal for Robins and other small species of birds making it essential to help them at this time of year.

Despite their friendly appearance they can be quite aggressive to other birds and will protect their territory with defensive behaviour. Male and female Robins separate during the winter months and live apart looking for their own patch of land and source of food.

Did you know that Robins sing nearly all year round? If you hear a bird singing at dusk, it is likely to be a Robin and they will even sing at night under a street light.

So when you receive your annual Christmas card with a delightful Robin on the front, think about how you can help it survive the winter.

Please visit our website at www.haiths.com and search for our Fat Robin mix – sure to go down a treat with ‘your’ resident robin.