Irish households urged to take action if they see robins in their garden

The popular garden bird needs our help

As the temperatures drop, wildlife begins to struggle to find food as the ground hardens, making it difficult for birds to find enough food to eat - especially smaller species like robins.

Robins are synonymous with the festive season, adorning Christmas cards and tree decorations but while we seem to notice them more in the winter, they spend all year sharing their song with us in our gardens.

They are territorial and can be quite aggressive towards other birds if they begin to encroach on the place they call home.

Experts at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) warned that if your garden is home to robins you might need to invest in a couple of food sources to help out your feathered friends.

The experts advised: "Help birds in winter by placing fat blocks in wire cages. Balls in plastic nets are not recommended as birds such as woodpeckers can get their tongues caught."

The RHS explained that whilst it is beneficial to feed birds all year round it is crucial that they get the fat they need during winter.

They said: "Garden birds, in particular, benefit from feeding year-round, but winter is a time to provide foodstuffs with a high-fat content to help keep them warm. Feed regularly so that birds will not waste vital energy visiting your garden when there is no food."

A robin's natural diet is usually made up of worms, seeds, fruits, insects and other invertebrates.

However, local garden centres stock high-fat food sources for birds or you can make your own fat balls at home as the RHS explained: "Create your own fat blocks by melting suet into moulds such as coconut shells or logs with holes drilled in."