Not so reliant, Robins: Britons may see fewer redbreasts this Christmas as the long, hot summer has left them 'drought-exhausted'
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By KATIE HODGE
Published: | Updated:
They are one of our most cherished garden birds and a much-loved symbol of Christmas.
But the red, red robin may not be bob, bob, bobbing along so merrily this winter.
This is because the intense heat and prolonged lack of rain over the summer has left the robin redbreast 'drought-exhausted'.
And it means we may see fewer of the British birds in gardens this festive season, experts say.
Their key food stock has been in short supply recently due to the scorching temperatures and dry weather in July and August, which turned soil rock-hard – locking in earthworms and insects.
Plants dying sooner than expected amid the heat has also impacted bug numbers, so there have been fewer to eat above ground. As such, robins' hungry broods will likely not have enough to carry them through winter.
The birds rely on late-summer nourishment to build up fat reserves and can lose up to 10 per cent of their body weight in just a few hours when temperatures plummet. Without this food, they are deemed incredibly vulnerable as cold nights draw in.
Jon Carter, of the British Trust for Ornithology, said: 'It is possible that the hot, dry conditions we experienced in many parts of the UK this summer will have had an impact on such familiar garden birds as blackbirds and robins.
Robins rely on late-summer nourishment to build up fat reserves and can lose up to 10 per cent of their body weight in just a few hours when temperatures plummet (stock photo)
'Due to the ground being so hard and compacted during the breeding season, these birds, which often dig into the earth in search of worms and grubs, will likely have struggled to find enough food to feed their chicks, resulting in fewer successful broods.
'Water in some places will have been harder to come by too, depriving the birds of a much-needed resource at this critical time.'
Wildlife expert Lucy Taylor said: 'I think robins could be harder to spot this winter.
'The incredibly hot and very dry weather will have impacted them and many other bird species this summer.
'This may be down to reducing brood survival rates (robins can have three broods per year) or them even finding the conditions so harsh they decide not to try for the last brood.'
Ms Taylor, of bird-food supplier Vine House Farm, added: 'All plants have accelerated through their growth stages this summer. This means insect populations would have been impacted similarly, which is [robins] main source of food.'
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