Hand Feeding Robin Winter 2010.

SQUINTING WINDO

During the cold spell our garden robin fed from our hands, every day on a couple of occasions each day. Any one else have the same experience ?

Mollywolly

I had a robin feeding regularly from my hand from Summer '09 until he disappeared in January this year - during the cold spell. I think the cold killed him There's a photo of him attached.

He's now been replaced by another cheeky little robin who's been coming to me for a month or so. He's usually perched in the clematis by my back door when I get up in the morning. It's such an amazing feeling when he lands on my hand - makes me feel very special

SQUINTING WINDO

I understand fully the feeling you get when they land on your hand ,the feeling of nervousness on their (and your) part but yet the bravery or the greater need when food is in short supply to overcome their basic instincts. The feeling of the tiny claws , the fragile frame and the experience of how light they are is truly special.

E39MSport

one of the locals regularly has a veritable menagerie in his hand. He's posted some nice pics a short time ago.

I attaempted it over the winter. The birds 'thought' about it but I gave in. Felt like I was using their hunger for my own gains. Would love to experience it. I've had tame robins in Marley Park taking food from my fingers before which was nice.

gzoladz

How should we go to try it? Is it just matter to put food in your hand, stand still and wait?

E39MSport

I'd say you need to get them used to you over time. Although the robins and tits done scarper when I approach, I'm not around enough for them to be confident enough to approach me. They will come to within inches of me but won't rest on me. Having said that, I had a wren land on my back a few months ago !!

Kess73

Have quite a collection that hand feed. Robins, great tits, blue tits, coal tits, blackbirds, and house sparrows. and this year got a few that are a bit more unusual getting in on the act. I have a blackcap that comes to the hand along with redpoll.


I put pics of a few of them on my hand in the pic thread some time back.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's all very cute but I wonder at the fairness of it. Having given it much consideration years ago, I now just leave the food and the birds take it without having to fight their natural (and important) instinct to flee.

E39MSport

Kaydence Nutritious Whisk wrote: »

It's all very cute but I wonder at the fairness of it. Having given it much consideration years ago, I now just leave the food and the birds take it without having to fight their natural (and important) instinct to flee.

Me too. I cant deny that I tried it but it didn't sit well with me so I just left the food out.

boneless

Kaydence Nutritious Whisk wrote: »

It's all very cute but I wonder at the fairness of it. Having given it much consideration years ago, I now just leave the food and the birds take it without having to fight their natural (and important) instinct to flee.

I know where you are coming from on that point but sometimes it is hard to resist hand feeding them.

Many years ago my Mother had a robin which would come in the kitchen window and peck any crumbs from the breadboard etc. It was not encouraged to do this but must have learned the behaviour somewhere.

Kess73

Kaydence Nutritious Whisk wrote: »

It's all very cute but I wonder at the fairness of it. Having given it much consideration years ago, I now just leave the food and the birds take it without having to fight their natural (and important) instinct to flee.

A bird that comes to the hand to be fed won't just do it to everyone in the household though.

Take the robins or tits in my garden, they readily come to me, but if anyone else in the house goes out the back they shoot for cover, and will not come to the others when they stand there.

Also Robins and tits (great tits in particular) have long associated man with food, and at this point it may be ingrained into them.

Robins generally will follow a gardener at work and be very cheeky in how close they will come. Great Tits are even cheekier and will venture in through open windows and have being doing so pretty much since records on birds have been taken. I think that many species of bird, especially those living in urban area, have come to

A strong case has been made with regards to some species of birds being able to tell the difference between individual humans.


If the person feeding the birds continues to have a regular supply of food for the birds in their garden and is dedicated to doing so for the long haul, then the occasional bit of hand feeding does no real harm, especially if it is broken up with things like throwing food for them (so that they get the food in a similar manner as if they were following a gardener) or simply placing it in feeders or similar for them.