Robins will love your garden if you leave 1 food outside before winter

A wildlife expert has revealed the one surprising food that robins love to eat during the colder season - and offering it could encourage them to return to your garden again and again. This simple snack could also help protect them at a time when they are at real risk.

Robins are one of Britain's most beloved garden visitors, but the winter months can be especially tough for these small birds. According to the wildlife charity People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), robins can burn through as much as 10% of their body weight just to stay warm on a single winter night. Unless they're able to feed well during the day and replenish those lost reserves, a cold spell could be fatal.

To make matters worse, disappearing hedgerows and dwindling natural food sources could leave robins even more vulnerable when temperatures drop. The trust warned that winter bird populations have fallen in the past few decades.

Sean McMenemy, garden wildlife expert and director of Ark Wildlife, explained that robins are particularly susceptible because they remain loyal to their chosen gardens no matter the weather.

However, he said that offering food, water and shelter can help make a difference to their survival rates. Plus, one of their favourites comes straight from your fridge, meaning there's no need to buy specialty bird feed.

According to Mr McMenemy, writing for PTES, mild cheese is one of the best foods you can offer to robins.

The winter birds prefer to forage and feed off the ground, so he recommended placing a small food tray close to a shrub or perch. However, if you have hedgehogs visiting your garden, you should place it slightly higher off the ground.

He also recommended leaving out meaty kitchen scraps, cake and biscuit crumbs, dried fruit, and shredded or crushed peanuts from the kitchen.

The wildlife charity noted that 84% of farmland birds rely on hedgerows for food and protection. However, it said that food sources have been in decline with hedgerows having declined an estimated 50% since WWII.