Overview
- Robins face higher energy needs in early autumn as they moult and build fat reserves while berries and insects become scarce.
- Specialists recommend raw, chopped peanuts and sunflower hearts as high‑calorie staples, with dried mealworms and suet pellets as useful additions.
- Experts warn against salted or roasted peanuts and advise chopping nuts to prevent choking, as robins have delicate beaks.
- Feeding on the ground or on low platform trays aligns with robins’ natural preferences and encourages repeat garden visits.
- A Woodland Trust expert advises positioning feeders about two metres from dense vegetation to deter cats, ideally in shade and away from beds, fences and sheds.