Make your garden a safe haven for robins this winter with these expert tips

Although Europe isn't facing the biting cold snaps of last Christmas, us humans aren't the only ones who feel it when the temperatures drop.

Robins and other native birds are under increasing danger due to unpredictable weather patterns. Though hardy, they are not invincible.

During a cold winter, up to half of garden birds can be lost to cold and hunger. In the UK, the Red List of endangered bird species has more than doubled in the last 25 years. Robins - the country’s national bird - are particularly vulnerable as they stay loyal to their gardens whatever the weather.

A robin can use up to 10 per cent of its body weight to keep warm on a single winter night. Unless it can replenish its reserves every day, a cold spell can prove fatal. With hedgerows declining, there is a lack of natural food, and without supplementary bird feeding in gardens, many robins die of cold and starvation.

Unusual weather patterns have swept Europe, with record heatwaves in the summer to an unseasonably warm autumn and winter. This causes confusion and throws the natural cycles of certain species out of sync.

So how can we help birds survive the volatile weather?

Wildlife experts are encouraging the public to turn their gardens into safe havens for birds this winter. Among them is Sean McMenemy, director of garden product supplier Ark Wildlife. Here are his tips on how to support our feathery friends during the colder months.

Putting out food, water and shelter for birds visiting your garden can make a big difference to survival rates.

According to Sean, the best foods for robins are mealworms and calci worms, fatty foods like suet pellets, meaty kitchen scraps, mild cheese, cake and biscuit crumbs, dried fruit and crushed peanuts.

Robins prefer to