Robins are now building nests in gardens across the UK, but there's one gardening task you should avoid if you want to see the red-breasted birds in your outdoor space.
11:04, 02 Jan 2026
If you're hoping for the return of charming robin birds to your garden this winter, there's one gardening task you should steer clear of.
These red-breasted creatures - symbolic of lost loved ones in British folklore - are now building nests for the upcoming spring.
Breeding season kicks off as early as March, which means robins are constructing sturdy nests in various locations, including your garden.
Experts at Woodland Trust revealed: "They have been known to nest in all sorts of weird and wonderful places.
"Robins usually nest on or close to the ground, in log piles, hollows in tree trunks, hedges and any other tight spaces they come across."
This is why gardening enthusiasts are advised not to trim back garden hedges, such as Privet, Hawthorn, Ivy, or Holly bush, reports the Express.
Conservation experts at the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) pointed out: "Letting Ivy and Holly grow will provide a great place for birds to roost in and shelter from the elements."
During this nesting season, it's also recommended to keep any bird bath "ice-free and topped up with fresh, clean water" for the birds to enjoy.
Feeding the robins is also encouraged, with their preferred diet consisting of fruit, seeds, suet, crushed peanuts, sunflower hearts and raisins.
Helping robins to nest
The Woodland Trust suggests leaving out natural fibres in accessible spots in the garden so that robins can incorporate these materials into their nests.
You can also lend a hand to robins by positioning a nesting box in your garden - "just ensure it has an open front and is placed somewhere discreet, among vegetation such as creepers and shrubs".
Bird feeders are beneficial as well, given that food sources can be thin on the ground during the winter months without the help of kind-hearted folks.
By letting hedges grow out, providing fresh water and food, you're likely to find robins flocking to your garden to nest.