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American Robins share a weathered garden table in yard

Best way to feed Robins

Don't waste a good thing with American Robins in the yard, and while not commonly seen to use bird feeders, you can simply throw bird food over the lawn.

Best way to feed Robins is never within a restricted bird feeder; refer to a dish of any kind along with an open top platform bird feeder. Robins are ground feeders thus to throw bird food over the lawn will attract Robins and other birds for sure. Offer dried or live mealworms along with fresh or dried fruits.

Offering up the limited bird food what Robins eat in our yards can result in you going out of your way for American Robins, yet in doing so be mindful of other bird species going without.

Best way to feed Robins then is offering them their favorite bird food alongside other options so that other wild birds can come to feed in your yard as normal.

Notice how I said yard instead of bird feeder, because as you may know already Robins can use a bird feeder if they must, although prefer to avoid them.

Feed Robins on the ground because this is where they are likely to be foraging in your yard.

To take advantage of that, there nothing Robins like more than a bird bath, thus bird food can be used on an empty bird bath bowl only to save you money on buying what could be an expensive platform bird feeder.

Robins love insects yet adore earthworms more which it what they are probably foraging for on your lawn. Replace insects or earthworms found in the wild with many wild birds' favorites, dried mealworms - with live mealworms sure to grab their attention.

What American Robins eat in the wild is close to what you can feed them in the yard, with dried or live mealworms used alongside fruits such as berries.

Robins can be fed on the lawn all year but if there's snow blanketing the yard, then you'd need to chance tack.

Feed Robins less dried or live mealworms in snowfall to avoid waste, while throwing additional mealworms over any new layer of snow, as soon as snowfall covers the previous batch.

American Robins fed on ground

While American Robins are sure to be one of your most common backyard birds, that isn't to say Robins use a bird feeder as you'd expect a backyard bird to.

Best way to feed Robins then is on the ground, a common ground eating bird must be fed on the ground to be sure they can eat while avoid going without if only offering bird food on a restricting bird feeder.

What to throw on the ground for American Robins must primarily be mealworms for this ground feeding bird - with an option to use fruits for only a few hours in the day.

In fact its best to offer fruits to Robins such as apples or give bananas a go on an elevated bird feeder or in a dish. It doesn't have to be a hanging bird feeder but an open top platform will be sure to attract Robins.

To feed Robins in your yard then you'd need to feed them more on the lawn or in a quieter area around the boundary of the yard, rather than the busy deck.

If you have a porch available then place the dried mealworms or fruits on the railing, or on any backyard furniture [as pictured in the featured image above].

Bird food can be on the ground which isn't good, but bird food off the ground can last longer - while still being accessible to American Robins.

Bird food can be in open dish

Whilst its certainly possible to witness American Robins using the most awkward bird feeder hanging up off a pole or branch, continue to keep it simple for all Robins.

Bird food can be fed to Robins in a dog food dish or a small pet bowl used for rabbits to be used exclusively as a wild bird bowl. Where bird food can at least be kept mobile in the yard, a new location may be needed if Robins can't find it or don't take to it.

Why Robins do not eat at bird feeders is because the regular stuff that goes in them, such as seeds or peanuts - is not part of a Robins diet in the wild.

Robins eat mostly insects along with berries for most of the year, thus none of this is found to be in a common bird feeder.

What bird food do Robins eat that is similar to their insects or berries in the wild, are dried or live mealworms of course, along with dried or fresh fruits you can give a go.

None of this can be added to any kind of mesh wire or clear plastic tube bird feeder, thus only an open dish or platform can be used.

Out of bird feeders only

With that in mind I must advise you the best way to feed Robins, whichever way you decide to give it a go, can only be out of bird feeders.

Robins don't often tackle a complex bird feeder because its not in their nature to try, although they can try when natural food in the wild has become scarce.

I can only say all dried or live mealworms along with fruits you can give a go - but it must be out of bird feeders - or at least out of a tube or wire bird feeder that is.

What kind of bird feeders do Robins like most, and will be seen to use it if made available, is a bird food bowl of course - along with a wire dish mounted to bird feeder pole, if you know what I am referring to.

Better still, why find the best way how to feed Robins only when you can continue to feed all common backyard birds, who are less able at bird feeders; like Bluebirds who can use bird feeders - but prefer an open dish like American Robins do.

I will then suggest you use a platform bird feeder that is usually mounted on a pole.

With that, as a ground feeder, a Robin can be seen to feed off a ground platform bird feeder - as its usually within the area Robins forage within your yard anyway.

Feed Robins their favorites

Best way you can feed a Robin then is off the bird feeders while piling their favorite food in a dish or an open top platform bird feeder on the ground, or up on a pole.

What you can feed Robins in your yard is dried mealworms being a popular choice, while it continues to be eaten by many other birds - so no bird is found to go without if coming to feed in your yard.

Better than dried mealworms is the wiggly live mealworms sure to be spotted by Robins, if fed to them on the lawn where they usually frequent.

Robins are big earthworm eaters as they forage for them on the lawn, thus live mealworms can be used if in short supply of earthworms in dry weather or times of drought.

What else you can feed Robins is fruit or insect suet cakes. Don't place them in any kind of cage suet bird feeder, when they can be balanced on top of a platform - or cut up suet into pieces to be added to the bird food dish.

Fruits of all kind can be tried with Robins as apples can be eaten if cut into slice.

Various dried fruits can be tried while Robins may be found to eat seed mixes if mixed up with what you are feeding Robins, is thrown in with bird food for other bird species.

Conclusion

To make it easy on yourself would be to feed Robins on their favorite bird food on the ground, or to be more specific, on the lawn while avoiding the obstructing deck.

Best way to feed Robins then is in a dish usually reserved for dog food or a smaller bowl commonly used to feed rabbits or animals in cages.

You then have the chance to move the bowl full of dried or live mealworms, along with fresh or dried fruits - around the yard until you find the best spot where Robins and other birds can eat in peace and quiet.

What is better than a dish to be sure all common backyard birds can feed alongside American Robins, is a pole mounted or ground level platform bird feeder.

Robins can use a wire or tube hanging bird feeder yet rarely do. Robins know the bird food they eat in yards is unavailable in common bird feeders - whereas their dried mealworms will be found in a dish or on top of a platform bird feeder.

You'd have no choice to feed Robins on top of an platform bird feeder, while keeping it open for all your backyard birds.

What Robins eat in the wild is insects with mostly fruits all year. You can then replace insects with dried or live mealworms along with dried fruits or fresh fruits such as apples or bananas which can all be given a go.

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