One garden mistake scares robins off and keeps them away

Now winter is definitely on its way we're searching for colour wherever we can - and sometimes this comes in the form of a tiny robin's red breast in our gardens. However, these garden birds are very particular about where they like to settle.

If you want to maximise your chances of seeing these beautiful little birds this winter there are a few things you should keep in mind when putting up bird boxes around your borders.

Lucy Taylor of Vine House Farm Bird Foods, explains: "Bird boxes put up in gardens fulfil two important roles. The first is of course to provide suitable nesting habitat, and often in place of ever-dwindling natural nest sites like holes in trees.

"Unlike other garden bird species, robins have two clear requirements. First, the nest box must be open-fronted, and second, it needs to be fairly well concealed - for instance, in a climber against a wall - for the robin to want to use it."

Robins are secretive about their nesting habits, and won't even approach their nest site if they think they might be being watched. This is the main reason why, despite being a common breeding species in many gardens, most people will be none the wiser as to where their actual nest is located.

Interestingly, when Robins do choose a slightly more conspicuous nesting site, it's usually inside a place like an old shed - with the secretive aspect achieved in the Robin's mind because it entered the shed through a relatively small gap in a door or window.

Lucy said: "The other very important reason for nest boxes is that they give a host of different small songbirds somewhere to safely roost at night during the winter." Autumn to winter is the ideal time to install your box, as not only will the nest box be prepared for the breeding season by early spring, but by offering a secure and dry roosting space for a Robin to rest in. That being said, a robin nest box can be installed at any point throughout the year - even in early spring.

But it isn't just about safety from predators. It is also about protection from the cold and wet which can drain the small amount of fat reserves in small birds as they struggle to keep warm."

This is especially true for robins who are known to readily take to nest boxes, whether for nesting or as a safe haven to sleep in on a chilly winter's night.

Lucy added: "So by putting up nest boxes now, you're literally helping more songbirds survive the cold winter nights and therefore there'll be more birds come the spring to successfully breed."

One premium robin home is the traditional open-fronted wooden box. The second is a Brushwood Robin Nester. Both of these options have a good chance of attracting robins to your garden, as long as they're placed in the right spot.

The most crucial aspect is ensuring the Robin nest box is well concealed. As previously mentioned, a robin nest box will typically only be used if it's well hidden.

Robins usually build their nests relatively close to the ground in natural settings, so the nest box should be positioned about one meter high. However, the more important factor is what's mentioned above - ensuring the Robin nest box is well hidden. So, if this means placing it higher or lower than one meter to achieve that, then that's the best strategy.